A program in southwest Virginia to attract or expand energy storage and electrification companies received a nearly $ 500,000 grant to GO Virginia as part of the $ 6.3 million payout announced Friday.
The region's only fundraising project is receiving more than $ 486,000 for an Appalachian Voices program designed to attract and maintain jobs primarily in the Cumberland Plateau planning district – Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell and Tazewell.
On Friday, Governor Ralph Northam announced funding for 15 projects across the state, including eight regional GO Virginia projects and seven projects under GO Virginia's Economic Resilience and Recovery Program, according to a statement.
“This project is directly related to the ongoing efforts of the Solar Workgroup of Southwest [Virginia] to support solar jobs in the area, “said Adam Wells, regional director of community and economic development for Appalachian Voices, in a statement. “Since the founding of the working group, our goal has been to support jobs in manufacturing in connection with renewable energies.”
Kalen Hunter, program director for GO Virginia Region One, said the council approved the solar work in 2019.
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“It found that we could potentially work with existing manufacturers in the region to help them pivot and grow their energy storage and electrification manufacturing businesses,” Hunter said Friday.