There is a lot of discussion going on in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg about Solar Photovoltaic on buildings. Once you have made the decision to add solar, you have another big decision to make about your system. Do you want to be tied to the grid or off-the-grid?
Off-the-grid means that you not only have a solar production system, but also an energy storage system such as batteries. An off-the-grid system operates without reliance on a public utility. If you are off the grid you have to have a way to store your energy for nights, cloudy days, or days when your panels are snow covered.