BARC Electric Announces a New Solar Energy Program

With so much of the news focused on the Covid-19 crisis it’s easy to lose sight of some of the other issues facing our country. Even though gas prices are as low as they have been in several years we still have future energy needs to consider.

In 2017, Valley Elementary in Bath County became the first school in Virginia to become 100% solar powered. Solar panels also adorn the roofs of Millboro Elementary School and Bath County High School. The solar panels have cut the energy bills by $15,000 dollars per year.

Solar energy is a renewable energy source that is available every day. Once the initial investment is made it reduces electric bills. Solar energy doesn’t require a lot of maintenance and can be produced in areas without access to an energy grid.

In December of 2019, Reliable Energy (a subsidiary of BARC Electric) announced plans to make more solar options available to their customers. The new program called Solarize BARC is now in the early stages. I wanted to learn more about it so I reached out to Billy Reid. He is the Director of Business Development for BARC for comments.

Q: What can you tell our listeners about the Solarize BARC initiative and how the program will work in our community?

A: Well, it’s a pretty simple plan that we’re very excited about. We will be offering new solar to our current Bath, Alleghany and Rockbridge customers. We have teamed up with AltEnergy; they will be our new partners in this. They’re not new to the game; they are a very respectable company. Together we will be providing solar to residential and business consumers at a discounted price- without a large upfront investment.  We will also be offering special financing at competitive rates for all qualified customers.

Q: How would someone interested in the solar programs go about getting more information?

A: You can call into our main office at 1-800-846-2272 or you can call me directly at area code 540-784-5316. I’ll ask you a few questions and then I’ll reach out to AltEnergy.  We can do a remote assessment based on satellite imagery and if you’re interested a tech will come out and take measurements and confirm product details if you decide to move forward.

Q: Can you talk about charging stations for electric powered vehicles?

A: That is happening in certain locations around Lexington, but we’re looking forward to expanding that project as well.

More information about Solarize BARC or AltEnergy can be found by following the links.