Solar Workgroup hosting community meeting in Gate City about solar on working farms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2025

CONTACT
Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (540) 798-6683, dan@appvoices.org 

GATE CITY, Va. — The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia is hosting a community meeting focused on the dual-use of land for solar energy and agriculture, known as agrivoltaics, on Thursday, Oct. 2, between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Regional Adult & Career Education Center in Gate City. 

The meeting will begin with a brief tour of the facility as the workgroup joins the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society for the 29th Annual National Solar Tour, the world’s largest grassroots solar event. Guest speakers include professionals in solar grazing and crop-based solar projects, Gray’s LAMBscaping and Okovate, discussing their business models and how to advance agrivoltaics in Southwestern Virginia. 

“The way we think about land use is changing. Solar energy production now has an opportunity to support local agriculture, not just compete with it,” said Appalachian Voices’ Southwest Virginia Solar and Electrification Projects Manager Austin Counts. “We hope community members will join us to explore how agrivoltaics can benefit the region and make local farms more resilient.”

The event welcomes community members and leaders from any Southwest Virginia community interested in learning about agrivoltaics and how solar and agriculture solutions could shape the future of farming in the area. Food and drink will be provided. 

“Solar Workgroup meetings are places where people are invited to ask questions and find the resources and partners to work together,” said Christine Gyovai of  Dialogue + Design Associates. “It is a place where community members can bring their desire to work together to build out renewable energy and accessible energy resources in Southwest Virginia.”

The workgroup meeting in Gate City is free and open to the public. Participants can RSVP at swvasolar.org or by contacting Andie Waugh at andie@appvoices.org.

ABOUT The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia: The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia is a group of nonprofit and community action agencies, colleges, state agencies, and other interested citizens and businesses created in 2017  seeking to develop a renewable energy industry cluster in the seven coalfield counties of Southwest Virginia.  For more information on the Solar Workgroup, visit swvasolar.org.