You don’t need to install rooftop panels to support clean, renewable energy. Renters, small business owners, and residents of multi-unit buildings often can’t install solar systems — but you still have powerful options. Community solar programs and renewable energy credits allow you to support renewable power, reduce your environmental impact, and help grow clean energy across Virginia and the nation.
Renewable energy comes from sources that naturally replenish themselves — like solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower. These sources don’t rely on fossil fuels and do not produce fossil fuel related greenhouse gas emissions which harm the environment and contribute to climate change.
Energy providers such as Dominion Energy and NOVEC and nonprofit organizations in Virginia offer programs that let customers participate in expanding green power on the grid. These programs are great alternatives for those who cannot generate the power themselves, due to cost, property type, or leasing restrictions. For renters or small business owners, they offer practical ways to meet sustainability goals, support new renewable energy development, and help reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Community Solar
If rooftop solar isn’t an option for you, community solar may be the perfect fit. Instead of installing panels at home or work, you connect to a local solar farm and benefit from the clean energy it generates, no matter where you live.
Virginia’s community solar program, offered through Ampion Renewable Energy, is available to income qualified residents at no cost to join. Participants typically save an average about 10% on their electric bills. The program is administered by the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP), the same nonprofit that runs Solarize Virginia.
With community solar, your electricity provider remains Dominion Energy. Each month, you’ll see credits on your utility bill representing your share of energy generated by the solar farm — applied at a discounted rate. Enrollment takes only a few minutes, and all you need is a copy of your electric bill.
Join Community Solar and Start Saving
Renewable Energy Credits
Some electricity providers offer programs that allow customers to purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), which are tradeable certificates that represent the environmental attributes of electricity generated from a renewable source When renewable electricity is produced, a matching number of RECs are created. With utility REC programs, you don’t need to find a seller yourself; customers simply enroll, and the additional cost of the RECs is added directly to their electric bill. By buying RECs, you ensure that renewable energy is added to the power grid on your behalf — even though the electricity delivered to your home or business arrives the same way it always has.
RECs have value and these programs help create market demand for clean energy and provide revenue that supports developers in building more renewable projects.
REC programs available in Fairfax County: