Do You Want To Go Solar? Town Can Help

Image: With solar panels on the roof, this Vienna home is cutting its energy bills (Town of Vienna).

Release: Town of Vienna

Vienna Town Council member Carey Sienicki and Susan Stillman, chair of the Community Enhancement Committee, came to the decision to go solar last year via different motivations, but both are saving money on home energy bills and reducing their impact on the environment.

For the Sienicki family, who became interested in solar energy for their home as part of last year’s Solarize Vienna program, “as long as we could realize a payback in 10 years or less, then it made sense” to move forward, Sienicki said.

For Stillman, the decision to go solar was more about the environment.

“I want to cut my carbon footprint,” she said, “and I want to show people that solar is doable, even with a big maple tree in front of one-third of the panels.”

Stillman and Sienicki were among nine Vienna residents who installed solar panels as part of last year’s Solarize Vienna program, a community-based initiative jointly sponsored by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and Local Energy Alliance Program. It allows residents to take advantage of free solar assessments, pre-negotiated bulk purchasing discounts with vetted vendors, and warranties on installation and efficiency of solar panels.

Solarize Vienna is being offered again this year from Tuesday, March 15, through May 15 – and there’s some good news for those who’ve been thinking about going solar, but haven’t made the switch yet. Solar system installation costs are down about 30 percent from last year, says Ryan Van Patten, energy coach with the Local Energy Alliance Program.

Even for residents not considering solar energy, the Solarize Vienna program can be helpful. Through the program, residents can sign up for free home energy checkups, valued at about $200, during which they’ll receive advice from an energy coach as well as energy-efficient products such as CFL light bulbs, smart power strips, pipe insulation and door weatherization. The home checkups take about 90 minutes to two hours to perform.

To sign up for free home checkups or learn more about solar panel installation, visit solarizenova.org.

Free presentations about Solarize Vienna will be offered at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, at Caboose Brewing Company, 520 Mill St. NE, and as part of Green Expo at Windover Avenue and Orchard Street from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 24.