Monday night the Falls Church City Council voted unanimously to sign onto a regional solar power initiative, Solarize NoVa, of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and its not-for-profit partner, the Local Energy Alliance Program or LEAP, to promote voluntary installation of energy efficient and renewable technologies. A pilot project in Falls Church is being initiated by the two groups to promote home energy efficiency and solar energy. The intent of the program is to reduce the cost and complexity of “going solar” in the region, with a regional goal of reaching 1,000 rooftops with solar installations by encouraging home owners and business to take advantage of tax credits now available through the end of 2016.

Among the advantages of the program, which is most advanced in Virginia in Charlottesville, with 1,182 sign ups to date, is to provide a roster of vetted service providers and to offer discounts of 15-20 percent to participants.

The resolution passed 7-0 by the City Council tonight stipulates that “the City of Falls Church wishes to commend the NVRC and LEAP as they implement this program and expresses its desire that interested residents and business owners carefully consider their participation in Solarize NOVA to improve home energy efficiency and make available to residents and business owners the opportunity to purchase solar systems at reduced prices.”