Public Engagement for Local Solar Policy

Virginia localities are experiencing a surge in applications for solar and energy storage projects due to growing demand for clean energy. This trend is prompting many to revisit their policies and regulations. While community engagement is standard best practice for policy development, the unique challenges of solar and emerging energy technologies may require more targeted engagement to ensure policies align with stakeholders' priorities and garner community support.

These case studies and report, authored by UVA student Delaney Clifford, highlight the public engagement strategies three Virginia local governments have used to support the development and implementation of their solar policies.

Report: Shaping the Future of Solar | Community Engagement Strategies

This report, authored by UVA student Delaney Clifford, reflects on four main phases of policy development: public education, policy creation, land use permitting, and implementation. Through case studies, she describes which public engagement strategies work best for each stage of policy development to help local officials and stakeholders engage in effective public engagement.

Read the Report

Case Study: Louisa County | Public Education and Solar Development

Louisa County shares their strategies for making information on solar development accessible to the public. They embarked on a robust public education initiative and created a solar landing page to address questions from developers and community members.

Hear from Louisa County's staff

Case Study: Fairfax County | Public Education to Implement Solar Policies

Fairfax County shares how they built community partnerships and communication materials to help promote their climate action plan. They developed a public education campaign, Carbon-Free Fairfax, to help implement the climate action plan and worked with partner organizations to promote residential solar adoption.

Hear from Fairfax County's staff

Case Study: Shenandoah County | Shared Solar Policymaking

Shenandoah County shares how they created a citizen working group to get community feedback while updating their solar ordinance. The working group consisted of a range of participants from varying backgrounds who worked closely with the county and subject matter experts to develop an updated solar ordinance.

Hear from Shenandoah County's staff

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This case study project was conducted by UVA student Delaney Clifford (class of 2025) in partnership with the Virginia Solar Initiative at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.

Sincere thanks and gratitude to the participating localities for their trust in us to tell their stories and their generosity with their time:

Fairfax County: John Morrill and John Silcox
Louisa County: Josh Gillespie, Cindy King, and Tom Egeland
Shenandoah County: Mark Dotson and Tyler Hinkle

Questions or Want More Information?

Contact Elizabeth Marshall