May 21, 2025
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Carl Smith Stadium, Wise, VA 24293
In case of inclement weather – 5705 Greear Cir Wise, VA 24293

Join the inaugural Southwest Virginia Solar Summit this May! Whether you are a government official, town/county board member, an electrician, or just a resident interested in the solar work happening across the region, this event is for you! Registration is free to the public and includes a free meal and live music.

Register TODAY to secure your spot and help us plan!

FREE REGISTRATION!!!


What to expect

During the Summit, you will see presentations from and have access to solar installers and other professionals working in Southwest Virginia on residential, commercial, school, shared solar, and utility solar projects. In combination with the Southwest Virginia Economic Forum, this solar-specific economic event will better prepare you and your community for the growing solar energy economy and job opportunities across the country. Live music will be provided throughout and will close out the day with a sense of celebration and community.

The Southwest Virginia Solar Summit is hosted by the Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. In 2017, the Solar Workgroup hosted the region’s first-ever solar fair! Learn more about the Workgroup on the Solar Workgroup Background page.

Have any questions? Reach out to andie@appvoices.org or call (276) 679-1691.

SWVA Solar Summit Agenda – Check back for agenda updates!

  • 2:30 – Doors open (sign-in and food tickets)
  • 3:00 – Introductory remarks for the SWVA Solar Summit
  • 3:15-4:00 – Solar Development Panel – Moderator: Ben Wilson
  • 4:00 – 5:00 – Live music
  • 5:00-6:00 – Presentation slots
  • 6:00 – 7:00 – Live music
  • 7:00 – Closing remarks

Student building competition!

The competition will be held on May 21st at the SWVA Solar Summit on UVA Wise campus. Specific time to be determined based on availability.Teams are expected to be between 3-5 students. Participation is free to all and will include a free meal for participants during the event. Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Additional prizes may be awarded as available. 

Registration is required by May 1, 2025 to ensure all materials are available on-site for each team. REGISTER HERE!

This competition is made possible through sponsorship by the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Agency (VCEDA).

Presenters – More coming soon!

Ben Wilson serves as the Director of Strategy and Engagement for Energy Right. Based in Roanoke, Ben leads Energy Right’s initiatives in the Valley and into Southwest Virginia. Ben has received two degrees from Auburn University, a BA in Political Science and a Masters of Public Administration. He is dedicated to providing fact based resources with local leaders and community members interested in shared and utility scale solar. He believes that we must work together to address misinformation and find common solutions to achieve an increasingly clean energy future in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 





Jesse Wilson started working in the solar industry in 2020, working with residential families to help them install solar on their homes. He started in his position with the Virginia Department of Energy last year as Virginia Energy’s Residential Solar Programs Coordinator, managing the single-family and multi-family portions of the state’s soon to be launched Solar for All program. He enjoys spicy food, the mountains, and a good laugh.


Jess Gray is the CEO of Gray’s LAMBscaping, LLC, overseeing the company’s financial management, policy development, logistics, and reporting. She is crucial in guiding the company towards sustainable agriculture and solar grazing goals. As a 2023 Nuffield International Agricultural Scholar, Gray has represented her company in over half a dozen countries, focusing her research on integrating solar energy with livestock grazing. This innovative approach has drawn interest from various sectors looking at the environmental sustainability and economic viability of ranching in the context of climate change and shifts in land ownership. Gray has been a board member for the American Solar Grazing Association since 2024.

Tabling organizations – More coming soon!

  • Energy Right – Energy Right serves as a trusted conservative voice and resource for informed decision-making on responsible clean energy development that drives local economic growth and prosperity. Committed to driving local economic growth and prosperity, Energy Right champions an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy that will ensure America’s energy independence. Learn more about Energy Right and our work by visiting: https://www.energyrightus.org/.
  • Gray’s LAMBscaping – As a dedicated family-owned business, we blend traditional sheep grazing with cutting-edge ecological practices, catering to some of the nation’s leading energy giants. From our home base in Virginia, we are proud to manage an ever-expanding flock that roams the East, ensuring clean, efficient, and sustainable land management across thousands of acres. At the heart of our operation is a commitment to an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable approach to vegetation control. Our innovative solar grazing solutions support the seamless operation of solar farms and contribute to the health of the land, fostering a harmonious balance between clean energy production and agricultural prosperity. With transparent pricing and a focus on customer satisfaction, we ensure a partnership that’s as reliable as it is revolutionary.
  • Solar Holler – Solar Holler is a full service solar developer and installer for West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia. We are a rare breed—a fully licensed electrical contracting firm with policy and financing expertise, a finger on the pulse of cutting-edge technology, and an absolute commitment to using the power of solar energy to revitalize Appalachian communities.
  • Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – Responsible for administering laws and regulations related to air quality, water quality, water supply, renewable energy and land protection, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the primary environmental permitting agency in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Through the work more of than 800 employees at six regional offices across the state and the Central Office in Richmond, DEQ issues permits, conducts monitoring and inspections, and enforces the law. DEQ’s mission is to protect and enhance the environment of Virginia to promote the health and well-being of the Commonwealth’s citizens, residents, and visitors in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. DEQ’s vision is that all Virginians enjoy cleaner water, better air quality and the productive reuse of land that was once contaminated. Through a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, DEQ is developing a statewide Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) that will identify key actions needed to reduce climate pollution from all major sources in Virginia over the next 25 years. The CCAP is being shaped through a robust stakeholder and community input process to ensure that the plan best aligns with the needs and priorities of all Virginians.

Event Sponsor

The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1988 to enhance and diversify the region’s economy and help create jobs, markets Southwest Virginia’s e-Region and its focus on electronic information technology, energy, education, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship. VCEDA is a unique economic development organization that manages funds for economic development projects from a percentage of the coal and natural gas severance taxes paid by coal and natural gas companies that operate in the region. Located in southwestern Virginia, the region includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton. www.vceda.us or www.e-Region.org.