By Anna Akins
Next year, you might start noticing that the roofs and backyards around here have gained a shiny new addition.
Solar panels are making their way into Rockbridge County and Lexington and it’s all due to a group of locals who decided to take control of their own energy consumption.
Last spring, the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council formed what is known as a solar panel cooperative, an idea that began a few years ago in Washington, D.C., and then trickled down into Maryland and Virginia. A solar panel cooperative brings down the cost of solar panels for individuals through bulk buying.
Now, the market for learning about and installing solar panels is especially hot because federal tax credits – another huge discount – will be running out at the end of next year unless Congress renews them.
Solar panel co-ops have gained momentum in the wake of President Obama’s recent push for solar energy. He announced his Clean Power Plan earlier this year, which requires states to reduce carbon emissions by an average of 32 percent. The plan offers incentives for renewable energy projects that reduce those emissions.
Bob Biersack, a RACC board member and one of the co-op’s coordinators, said that RACC heard about solar panel co-ops’ growing popularity and decided to form one in the area.
“We started to see these solar cooperatives appear in different parts of the state and also around the region,” Biersack said. “We then had RACC members who were interested in looking into doing solar on their houses or farms.”
Why solar panels?
Solar panel co-ops are meant to reduce the cost of switching to solar power. Biersack said that solar panel co-op members have much more buying power when purchasing solar panels.
“The installer will get a bulk discount, which brings the cost down pretty substantially,” he said.
Discounts for co-op members range from 10 to 30 percent of the original solar panel price.
According to a solar panel cost guide, an average home requires about 20 to 24 kilowatts of electricity each day. An array capable of producing this much power costs anywhere from $15,000 and $20,000.
Solar panels will either be placed on people’s roofs or mounted on a pole in their backyard. Biersack said that solar panels won’t allow people to “go off the grid,” but they will contribute to substantial energy savings. A normal solar-panel system provides half the electricity a homeowner uses each month, he said.
That means that solar panels have a near 10-year payback period, he said.
The looming expiration of a solar panel tax credit was another good motivator for RACC.
The popular tax credit, known as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), is set to expire at the end of next year. The ITC is a 30 percent tax credit for solar systems on residential and commercial properties.
On Dec. 31, 2016, the credit for commercial properties will drop to 10 percent and the residential credit will drop to zero unless Congress extends this deadline.
“Congress might renew this or it might not,” Biersack said. “It behooves us to get this going and to get it finished.”
Who will install the panels?
RACC has partnered with VA SUN, a non-profit organization that coordinates solar panel co-ops all over Virginia.
Aaron Sutch, director of VA SUN, said that the organization helps make a solar panel co-op’s switch to solar energy easier.
“VA SUN acts as a facilitator,” Sutch said. “We offer participants with technical support, provide them with background on solar energy and help them find reputable installers.”
RACC’s solar panel co-op is still in its beginning stages of recruiting people. Over 80 people have signed up for the co-op so far.
RACC held its first public meeting about the co-op last month and plans to host two more before the end of the year. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5, in the community room of the Old County Courthouse, 2 S. Main St. The final meeting is expected to take place in December.
Once those meetings have concluded and more people have joined, an evaluation process will begin.
For the evaluation process, project coordinators will evaluate co-op members’ roofs and properties to see if they provide enough sunlight for solar panels to work properly.
They will use online tools such as Google Earth and Google Maps to determine how much sunlight hits residents’ roofs each day and at different times of the year.
Of those evaluated, only a small percentage will qualify, Biersack said.
Qualified members will then issue a request for proposal (RFP) to several solar installers in the area. After a competitive bidding process, the co-op selects the winning installer. The chosen installer then visits each individual property to determine which solar system is right for the property owner. Property owners will sign a binding contract for the system that they agreed on with the contractor.
Simply put, when sunlight hits the panels, they produce electricity. The panel system converts the electricity from direct current (DC) power to alternating current (AC) power. During the day, the solar power provides almost all the power needed, but at night, the system switches back to power from the utility company.
Overall, Lexington and Rockbridge County administrators have been supportive of this co-op, but some have raised questions about whether the city’s zoning laws allow for solar panels.
One of them was Councilwoman Camille Miller.
“I support the initiative and think it’s fabulous,” Miller said. “But I wanted to make sure that our zoning ordinance allows for these to be set up.”
Terry Harrington, the city’s planning and development director, confirmed that solar panels do in fact comply with the city’s zoning laws.
“We consider the panels to be accessory uses like garages, swimming pools or swing sets,” he said.
Sam Crickenberger, Rockbridge County’s planning and zoning director, said that the county also permits them.
Harrington said that there are safety risks involved with photovoltaic solar panels. Roofs with this type of panel must have access points for the Fire Department in case they catch on fire, according to Harrington.
Both Biersack and Sutch said that since Virginia is a pro-coal state, the government is less apt to support solar co-ops through tax breaks and subsidies.
They admit that the solar co-op process is difficult, but believe it will make a huge impact in the long run.
“Something like this can be a seed that sprouts and grows and keeps the industry viable,” Biersack said. “It’s not just about the money but how you live your life and what you contribute to society.”
Sutch agreed.
“Fossil fuels, coal and natural gas will run out,” Sutch said. “[Co-ops] allow people to take control of their energy instead of relying on a monopoly for it.”
RACC’s next information session: Thursday, Nov. 5, 6:30 p.m., County Courthouse, 2 S. Main St.