Solar Technical Assistance & Policy Guidance

This page highlights the public engagement strategies three Virginia local governments have used to support the development and implementation of their solar policies.

Solar@Scale helps localities understand the benefits of and overcome barriers to large-scale solar development.

SolarAPP+ is a free tool that streamlines local permitting by allowing localities to review and approve rooftop solar applications through an online approval process.

A two-part webinar series designed for Virginia's rural communities outlining federal clean energy funding opportunities.

SolSmart is a no-cost technical partner program with support from The Solar Foundation to bring solar-specific resources and technical assistance to localities across Virginia.

A Handbook, produced by Virginia Energy, for developing renewable energy and energy storage facilities on brownfields and previously coal mined lands in Virginia.

A report offering case study observations that could inform efforts to create a more predictable, efficient, and timely permitting process for utility-scale solar facility construction in Virginia.

This study examines the share of soft costs in solar panel installation and offers policy recommendations for lowering the share of soft costs to make solar more competitive.

This report analyzes existing state and local laws, recommendations from state and federal agencies, and approaches in comparable markets to present an inventory of decommissioning best practices for Virginia localities hosting utility-scale solar facilities.

This playbook is a detailed, step-by-step guide for engaging stakeholders; identifying and resolving barriers; reviewing development proposals; and adopting local planning and zoning regulations to facilitate solar energy.