HARRISONBURG, Va. (ROCKTOWN NOW) – With Earth Day just around the corner, the Harrisonburg Electric Commission (HEC) is promoting the green programs, solar energy generation and energy conservation they have spearheaded in the Friendly City. 
Paperless billing, free electric car charging stations, and the Friendly City Solar program are among the programs and services offered by HEC that are available to customers who may be thinking of ways to support green energy initiatives and cut down on waste ahead of the holiday next week.

One of the programs, Friendly City Solar, recently expanded for a second time to allow residential customers to have 100% of their monthly energy usage come from solar. The program, which launched in late summer 2022, originally allowed customers to cover up to 25% of their average monthly energy usage with solar energy before raising the limit to 50% in June 2023.

“Our programs are designed to be easily accessible for our customers, so it’s great to see more people take interest as they look for ways to reduce their environmental impact,” HEC General Manager Brian O’Dell said in a press release. “We’re always keeping an eye out for new initiatives to introduce to the community in an effort to promote green energy.”

Solar energy for the program is generated at the local Acorn Solar Farm and then sold as a subscription to residential customers. To date, the Acorn Solar Farm has generated over four million kWh of solar energy since its initial installation in October 2022.

“The demand for solar in our community is still very clear, so we’re excited to be able to meet the requests of our program participants with this expansion,” O’Dell added.

In addition to its green programs, HEC also offers a variety of energy conservation opportunities for customers looking to cut down on energy consumption. Qualifying households can take advantage of their weatherization program in partnership with Community Housing Partners, schedule a free energy audit or receive a rebate when switching out their appliances for more energy-efficient options.

Full details on all of HEC’s programs can be found on their website, harrisonburgelectric.com.