West Virginia Gets Big EPA Grant for Rooftop Solar

West Virginia continues to benefit from the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. On April 22, 2024, the EPA announced that over $106 million would be granted to the WV Energy Office for the state’s Real Resilient Roofs program.

The money will be used to deploy solar roof top installations in the Mountain State, particularly in low-income areas. The grant will also be used to support home energy efficiency and reduce utility costs for low-income residents.

Two areas of concentration will be providing solar power at state colleges and developing community solar generating facilities. Community solar is the arrangement where a solar generating facility is built for a community that allows residents to buy a share of the power generated and get a credit on their electric bill. That way residents who can’t afford the solar panels for their own roofs, or who rent an apartment, can still benefit from clean, cheap solar power.

But since the West Virginia legislature failed to enact legislation establishing a community solar pilot program in 2024 (HB 5626), it it must play catch up at the 2025 session to realize fully what this grant money can do for us.