HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A family in eastern Henrico is the latest to receive cutting-edge solar panels and the utility cost savings that come with them, from Dominion Energy, Project Homes, and Convert Solar. This initiative is part of Dominion Energy's Age and Income Qualifying Solar program, aiming to provide environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions to residents in Virginia.
"I was doing a lot of research, and I came across Project Homes. I saw that they were offering programs," Keke Cox, a mother of four, and the 106th homeowner to receive the solar panels at no cost courtesy of the partnership, said.
Within just a few hours, a crew installed 12 panels on Cox's home.
The panels are expected to significantly reduce her monthly utility bills, which currently average around $200, depending on the season.
The residential solar panel system, valued at an estimated $15,000, will work in tandem with energy efficiency upgrades already completed, providing long-term savings for Cox and her family.
Melinda Fairwell of Project Homes explained the qualifying process, saying not only do recipients meet certain income criteria but they also must agree to weatherize their home prior to getting solar panels.
"Whether it's attic insulation, crawlspace insulation, taking care of water tank wraps, pipe wraps – we look at the HVAC systems, depending on the age, tune-ups, if that's necessary, and that's kind of the prerequisite to getting the solar panels." Project Homes carefully selected the Cox household as an ideal candidate for the solar panels due to favorable lighting conditions, roof size, and age."
The funding for these projects is provided by Dominion Energy, which allocated $25 million for the installation and maintenance of solar panels on qualifying homes, each of which comes with a 25-year warranty. Dominion put an additional $25 million towards the weatherization projects that must be completed before being selected to receive the panels.
"I've enjoyed our partnership with Dominion. They make it easy for folks to receive these types of services. And I just hope a lot more people are aware of the services being around,” said Fairwell.
Fairwell also highlighted the program's impact on residents who need help.
"We work with people from all walks of life, all different age ranges, but especially for the elderly population that call us and say, 'Hey, I'm on a fixed income, I have to choose between either groceries or my medical stuff, or my utility bills.' So knowing that we can help them, at least with one of those things to reduce their costs, that's the biggest thing for me," Fairwell said.
For those interested in learning more about the Energy Conservation Program, visit www.projecthomes.org.
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