Woodlawn, Reston Fire Stations Lead Way For County With Solar Panels

MOUNT VERNON, VA — The Woodlawn and Reston Fire Station are home to Fairfax County's first rooftop solar installations.

Rooftop solar photovoltaic arrays were introduced Wednesday at the Woodlawn and Reston fire stations, marking the first locations using solar energy for the county. According to the county, the 50kW solar installations will collectively power 17 percent of the buildings' electricity, saving the county about $12,775 in energy costs in the first year. Estimated savings are expected to rise as the cost of electricity rises.

The project cost $469,257, but the county expects the cost to be offset within 22 years by a federal tax credit and energy cost savings.

"The significance of it is the county leading by example, making sure our residents our taxpayers see what we're doing with our own county facilities to not only save energy save money for residents of Fairfax County but also take a major step forward in addressing climate change and towards our goal of Fairfax County of climate neutrality," said Chairman Jeff McKay in a Channel 16 video feature.

The county has a goal to become carbon neutral in its facilities, fleet vehicles and county operations by 2040, which includes using renewable energy sources for 50 percent of county electricity.

"Half the way that we get to that goal is through energy savings, not using energy to begin with in other words saving money right off the top," said Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck, who chairs the Board of Supervisors' Environmental Committee. "The other half is what we're here to celebrate and to highlight today, which is solar panels and geothermal and other ways to utilize energy that doesn't emit greenhouse gas."

The Woodlawn Fire Station is also the county's first LEED Platinum certified building, the highest level of LEED certification for energy efficiency. The county is making energy improvement upgrades at 21 other facilities, including completed projects at Cub Run Rec Center, South Run Rec Center and the City of Fairfax Regional Library. Another project underway at Spring Hill Rec Center will include the largest geothermal heat pump HVAC system in a Fairfax County Park Authority facility.