The Town of Goshen was awarded a grant through the Virginia Department of Energy’s Community-Oriented Resilient Energy (CORE) program to purchase and install two mobile solar-powered backup generators at its critical public facilities. The CSPDC assisted the Town in preparing and submitting the winning application.
Like many rural communities, Goshen is susceptible to extended power outages caused by severe weather, and until now, none of its essential public facilities had a backup power source.
The $122,430 CORE grant will fund the purchase and installation of two mobile solar-powered generator trailers — each equipped with solar panel arrays and lithium battery storage capable of providing grid-independent power. The units will be housed at the Goshen Town Hall and Volunteer Fire Department, but they can be deployed wherever they are needed most during an emergency.
This project represents a significant leap forward for a community that has had limited emergency backup power capacity. Beyond keeping the lights on during outages, the solar generators will also give the Town access to FEMA and Virginia Department of Emergency Management funding streams that were previously unavailable because Goshen lacked a certified emergency shelter. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
The CORE grant is part of a broader revitalization effort in Goshen that has brought more than $2.35 million in investment into the heart of downtown.