Virginia Community Solar: The Complete Landowner's Guide to Leasing Your Land (2026)
- Jun 30
- 5 min read
If you've received an outreach letter from a solar developer, heard about a neighbor's land going solar, or simply wondered whether your acreage could be earning more than it does today, this guide is written for you. We'll cover how Virginia community solar works from a landowner's perspective, what makes land a good fit, and what the lease process looks like from first contact to first payment.
ECA Power has developed over 35 MW of community solar across the mid-Atlantic region, with projects in Delaware and Maryland and active development underway in Virginia. Everything in this guide reflects how we actually do this work..
Table of Contents
Key Takeways
Virginia's community solar program lets developers build solar farms on private land to serve local energy subscribers
Landowners in Dominion Energy territory with 25+ usable acres can lease their land for steady income spanning 20–30 years
ECA Power handles all permitting, financing, construction, and maintenance — at no cost to you
Lease rates depend on acreage, grid proximity, terrain, and market conditions — no two parcels are identical
Virginia's 2026 legislative expansion is adding over 500 MW of new community solar capacity, increasing demand for qualified land now
What Is Community Solar?
Community solar lets Virginia residents and businesses subscribe to a share of a local solar farm and receive credits on their Dominion Energy electricity bills without installing panels on their own roofs. It's designed for renters, homeowners with shaded rooftops, and anyone who wants solar benefits without the upfront cost of a rooftop system.
Those farms are built on land leased from private landowners. The solar developer identifies suitable parcels, negotiates a lease, handles all permitting and construction, and operates the project for 20 to 30 years. The landowner provides the land and receives regular payments throughout that entire period with zero upfront cost and nothing to manage.
Why 2026 Is a Strong Moment for Virginia Landowners
The Virginia Clean Economy Act requires Dominion Energy to source 100% renewable electricity by 2045 and Appalachian Power by 2050. Those are legal mandates and not goals, and meeting them requires thousands of new megawatts of solar built on private Virginia land. Delegate Sullivan's HB807, which passed the Virginia House of Delegates in March 2026, would add 525 MW of new community solar capacity on top of the existing 200 MW program cap.
If enacted, it would be the largest single expansion of the program to date and would meaningfully increase demand for landowner partnerships across the state. For landowners with usable acreage in Dominion territory, the competitive landscape among developers right now is working in your favor.
Does Your Virginia Land Qualify for Community Solar?
Virginia community solar projects are capped at 5 MW per project and typically require 25 to 40 usable acres. Here are the factors developers weigh most heavily:
Acreage and usable footprint.
You need roughly 25 or more acres of flat or gently sloping land free of wetlands and heavy tree cover. Total parcel size matters less than usable land.
Proximity to power infrastructure.
Land near three-phase distribution lines or a substation is significantly more valuable. Lower grid connection costs translate directly into a stronger offer to you.
Terrain
Flat to gently sloping land with southern or southwestern exposure is ideal. Steep or variable terrain drives up construction costs.
Dominion Energy territory
The current Virginia program primarily operates within Dominion's service area. If Dominion provides your electricity, you're likely in the right footprint.
How the Virginia Community Solar Land Lease Process Works
Leasing your land for community solar is simpler than most landowners expect. ECA Power manages every stage from initial screening through long-term operations, and we've done it across more than 10 projects in four states. Here's what the process looks like from your side of the table.
Step 1: Submit your parcel
You provide county, acreage, and general location. The developer screens it against grid access, topography, zoning, and environmental flags. Free and non-binding.
Step 2: We Handle the Rest
ECA Power conducts all due diligence, negotiates fair lease terms with you, manages permitting, and oversees construction from start to finish. You stay informed at every milestone without attending a single meeting or managing a single contractor.
Step 3: Collect Your Payments
Lease payments begin during the option period and continue through construction and for the full 20 to 30 year life of the project once it's energized. We handle all maintenance and operations. The land earns and you collect.
What Happens at the end of your Community Solar Lease?
Virginia counties require developers to post a decommissioning bond before construction begins. This is a financial guarantee that the array will be removed and the land restored at the end of the lease regardless of what happens to the developer.
When the lease ends, ECA Power removes all panels, racking, and wiring, grades the land, and reseeds it. You get the property back in a condition that supports agricultural use.
During the lease term, many sites are compatible with agrivoltaic uses such as sheep grazing, pollinator habitat, or vegetation management beneath and around the panels. ECA Power actively explores dual-use arrangements on appropriate sites.
Benefits of Leasing Your Land for Community Solar
Stable, predictable income for decades.
Unlike farming income, which fluctuates with weather, crop prices, and market conditions, solar lease payments are fixed and guaranteed for the full term of the agreement. Most leases include an annual escalation clause, so your income grows year over year instead of staying flat.
Zero cost and zero work for you.
ECA Power covers every expense from due diligence through construction and ongoing operations. You don't pay for permitting, maintenance, or repairs, and you don't manage contractors or attend agency meetings. The land works so you dont have to.
Your land stays yours
A lease keeps you as the titled owner of the property the entire time. At the end of the term, ECA Power removes all equipment and restores the land, backed by a county-required decommissioning bond.
Continued use of the rest of your property.
Most leases only cover the portion of land needed for the project. You can continue farming, leasing, or otherwise using the remaining acreage, and many sites support agrivoltaic uses like grazing or pollinator habitat alongside the array.
Supporting Virginia's energy future and your local community.
Community solar projects bring new tax revenue to the county, fund local schools and infrastructure, and create construction-phase jobs. ECA Power's Beyond the Grid initiative also directly supports fire departments, schools, and community organizations in the counties where we build.
Is Virginia Community Solar Right for You?
Community solar development isn't the right fit for every parcel but for Virginia landowners with usable acreage in Dominion territory, it's one of the most straightforward ways to put idle or underperforming land to work for decades.
Virginia's legislative momentum and Dominion Energy's renewable energy obligations point in one direction: demand for qualified land is increasing and developers are competing for the best sites now. The window to secure favorable terms is open.
If you're curious about your land's potential, the first step costs nothing.
ECA Power is a community-scale solar developer operating across Delaware, Maryland, Maine, Illinois, and Virginia.