Reston Town Center is now deriving some of its power from the sun.
A 1.3-megawatt solar photovoltaic system mounted on top of the town center’s green parking garage was substantially completed at the end of 2024 and began commercial operations on Tuesday (May 27).
First announced in March 2024, the system is set to provide an estimated 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy to the mixed-use complex annually.
The project was a joint endeavor of BXP, the owner and developer of Reston Town Center, formerly known as Boston Properties, and Ameresco Inc., a Massachusetts-based energy-solutions provider.
“Developing the solar-canopy project has been a phenomenal reminder of the innovative ways we can create solutions to provide energy security and resiliency to cities and towns across the country,” said Jonathan Mancini, a senior vice president at Ameresco.
“We look forward to seeing Reston Town Center powered by efficient and affordable energy for years to come,” he said.
Ben Myers, the senior vice president of sustainability at BXP, said the project “required overcoming several economic, technical and logistical hurdles.”
“Ameresco has been a critical partner,” Myers said.
The 1.5 million kilowatt-hours expected to be generated annually is equivalent to the amount of electrical power required for 130 homes.
The sight of solar panels on both public and private properties has become more common across Fairfax County in recent years.
The county government now has 10 rooftop solar installations in operation at various facilities, from recreation centers to a waste collection site in Lorton. Another 10 are expected to be added by the end of 2025, according to a 2024 climate progress report from the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination.
The Fairfax County School Board has also approved dozens of contracts for solar panels at schools, with the most recent batch of agreements coming in April.
For examples among private property owners, the Church of the Holy Comforter in Vienna now has a solar canopy in its parking lot, and HITT Contracting’s new headquarters in Idylwood, now under construction, will be powered by a 100,000-square-foot rooftop solar installation.
