The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All (SFA) program is a $7 billion investment over 5 years to help states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofits develop long-lasting solar programs for low-income and disadvantaged communities.
The West Virginia Office of Energy (WVOE) received $106 million from SFA, which will be used to deploy residential solar roofs, support home energy efficiency, reduce utility costs for low-income residents, and make West Virginia households more energy resilient.
These efforts are supported by over a dozen organizations, cities, and community stakeholders from across the state working to deliver meaningful energy benefits and upgrades to disadvantaged households. The WVOE’s SFA program will mobilize financing and private capital to create good jobs, alleviate energy burdens, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save the most underserved homeowners in the state money on their electricity bills.
Are you interested in installing residential solar panels on your home? Are you a contractor or nonprofit organization interested in registering as a partner installer/facilitator for this program? More details on funding and business development opportunities for this program will be released soon. You can keep an eye on the West Virginia Office of Energy’s website for the latest information.
West Virginia will be creating an application for interested homeowners to complete to determine their eligibility for receiving free or reduced-price solar panels on their homes. The content and form of this application, including the review and selection process used to identify successful applicants, will be finalized during the program pre-planning phase in Fall and Winter of 2024.
Q: How do I get solar panels for my home?
A: With the launch of West Virginia’s Solar for All program in 2025, interested homeowners will be able to complete a brief online application to determine their eligibility for receiving free or reduced-cost solar panels for their home.
Q: How long will I have to apply?
A: All grant funds will be deployed within 5 years of receiving the award. Timelines for supported programs and projects will be updated as that information becomes available.
Q: Can people who don’t own a home benefit from this program?
A: Renters and other state residents will be able to access community solar projects in select areas once construction of those projects is completed.
Q: Can solar installation companies and other installers be placed on a list to advertise their businesses to approved Solar for All homeowners?
A: Interested contractors from the solar industry will have the option to participate in a brief screening exercise to review business qualifications and quality of work. Approved companies will be added to the contractor list, which will be searchable by service territory and available on the WVOE website following program launch in 2025.
Q: How can I learn about other details of this program?
A: For the answers to more frequently asked questions about this program, click here.
