Renewable Energy: Solar

CitySolar: Solar Power on City Buildings

The City of Charlottesville began installing solar PV systems on its buildings around 2010 and has subsequently commitment CIP funding to continue installing more. Information on each of our solar PV systems, and the amount of energy they produce, is available online at CitySolar.

Solarize Charlottesville & Solar Co-Ops

Installing Solar at Affordable Prices - Solarize and group-buy programs have been growing around the country due to their success at helping residents install solar PV systems easily and at a good price. The first Solarize Charlottesville program was in 2014 and saw tremendous success. By nature, Solarize and Solar Co-Op programs negotiate discounted pricing for a limited time and are not guaranteed to be offered again in the future, making them possibly the last best price for solar. Programs such as Solarize Charlottesville and the Solar Co-Op have been offered in Charlottesville area by non-profits and have begun to also integrate electric vehicle charging options into their offerings as of 2019. 

Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

Solar cells, also called photovoltaic (PV) cells by scientists, convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV gets its name from the process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage), which is called the PV effect. Learn more from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Solar PV can be installed on rooftops or on ground mounted/free standing structures. Typically for rooftops, the panels can be installed flush with the roof surface, reducing the visible profile of the panels.

Solar Thermal

Solar thermal systems use the sun to heat either water or a heat-transfer fluid in the collector, which is then used to provide hot water for a home or building. Learn more from the U.S. Department of Energy.