Kinglet Solar
A 5 MW community solar facility in Stafford County, VA
About the Project
Kinglet Solar is a 5MWac community-scale solar facility in Stafford County, Virginia approximately 1.8 miles north of Falmouth. It will generate low-cost, emissions-free electricity for approximately 660 homes. Through Dominion Energy’s Shared Solar Program, low-to-moderate income households will be eligible to subscribe to the electricity generated by the facility and save money on their utility bill. The project will also benefit the larger community by generating new tax revenues, spurring economic investment, and providing equitable access to clean energy.
Kinglet’s location was carefully chosen to ensure the project harmoniously aligns with adjacent land uses and the character of the surrounding community. The project’s design maintains extensive setbacks and preserves natural buffers to ensure adequate screening. Third-party studies have confirmed the project poses no viewshed or noise impacts to neighboring properties and no adverse impacts to environmental, natural, or cultural resources, either on- or off-site. The location is also unique in that it features direct access to Dominion’s distribution grid and is in close proximity to the nearby Cranes Corner substation. This will allow Kinglet to seamlessly and economically interconnect with Dominion’s existing utility infrastructure.
Solar Done Right
Appropriately Sited and Scaled
As a 36-acre project, Kinglet is small enough to seamlessly fit into its surrounding landscape while posing no viewshed, noise, or environmental impacts.
Community-Oriented
Kinglet will provide direct energy savings to subscribers and subscriber outreach will heavily focus on low-income households who face the highest energy burdens and who have historically been left out of the clean energy transition.
Low-Impact Design & Operations
Kinglet features extensive setbacks and maintains existing vegetation within those buffers to ensure the project poses no viewshed or noise impacts to neighboring properties. Once operational, the project will be remotely monitored and generate only a handful of vehicle trips a quarter for inspections and maintenance.
Proven Experience
Kinglet’s design and planning is informed by Cypress Creek’s 11GW of solar development experience across 800 projects in 23 states.
Project Location
(click to open in Google maps)
Kinglet’s Journey
Community Open House
17 community members attended the Kinglet Open House on Tuesday, January 31st.
Community Giving
In 2024, we donated $10,000 to Community Housing Partners to provide weatherization services to LMI households in Stafford Co.
Creating Shared Value
Our goal is to create shared value with the community of Stafford County. That begins by having an open dialogue with local residents to gain a better understanding of their interests and concerns relating to Kinglet and the needs of the community. Through recent neighborhood canvassing efforts and a community open house, the Kinglet team connected with 38 neighbors and community members. Of those that shared an opinion on Kinglet, over 80% were supportive of the project.
If you were unable to attend, you can download the open house materials here. Online feedback forms are also available. Please contact the project team using the contact form below for a link.
Neighborhood Canvassing
The Kinglet team knocked on over 40 doors to introduce Cypress Creek and the project, gather feedback, and answer questions.
FAQs
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Solar power is a clean and domestic source of energy, contributing to the state and the country’s energy independence. Solar facilities capture naturally occurring sunlight and convert it to clean, renewable energy on a scale large enough to supply electricity for daily living in our homes, businesses and schools.
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Responsible solar development begins with proper siting and scale to ensure a facility is naturally compatible with its surrounding landscape. It also requires being a good neighbor and working to engage local officials and community stakeholders for input throughout the development process.
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Solar equipment meets the highest national code, ANSI and UL standards, but not all equipment is created equally. Cypress Creek uses the highest quality components including cadmium telluride free solar panels and has entered into a buying consortium to encourage the rapid scaling of domestic panel production.
Our facilities are operated and monitored remotely using a state-of-the-art asset management system to ensure optimal performance and safety.
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A project the size of Kinglet will take between four to six months to construct on average.
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Once constructed, solar farms require minimal maintenance and generate only one to three vehicle visits per quarter on average for system inspection and servicing. A majority of site visits are during the growing season for landscape maintenance.
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Soiling is the accumulation of dirt, pollen, or other material on the surface of a solar panel that blocks sunlight and reduces power output. Natural weather conditions, such as snow and rain, often occur with enough frequency and quantity to keep panels clean. When washing is required, it is completed using water.
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When a project reaches the end of its useful life, all equipment and modules are removed and the property is restored as close to its pre-development condition as possible. This process is called decommissioning.
Our lease agreement with the Kinglet landowner includes a contractual obligation to decommission the site. Following zoning approval, we will also be entering a Security Agreement with the County to provide further assurance of decommissioning.
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The project team will be holding an open house in January 2023. All community members are invited to attend to learn more about the project and Cypress Creek. Subscribe below to receive updates on the open house and future community engagement efforts.
Stay in Touch
Want to learn more about Kinglet Solar, receive project updates, or show support for solar energy? Send us a note. We would love to hear from you!