HARRISONBURG, Va (WHSV) – The Rocktown Energy Festival was held Saturday morning at the Turner Pavilion in Harrisonburg.

Energy experts are available to answer community questions about energy efficiency.

“Not limited to solar only. There are also architects and people who focus on energy efficiency, so it’s also about people’s relationships with energy use,” said Dustyn Vallies, outreach and development manager at the Center for Advancement and Sustainable Energy.

Experts in solar, wind and energy efficiency groups from the Shenandoah Valley attended to answer questions and provide feedback on how they can dip their toes into renewable energy.

“The main thing I’m trying to get people to understand is that you’re going to pay for this electricity one way or another,” said Joe Moore, Staunton branch manager for Tiger Solar.

Moore said solar energy has a final charge to it that other energies do not.

“If you use electricity you write a check to the power company, or you can have another option to buy solar. At least with solar it pays for itself in the long run and you make money or save more money than usual spending it forever,” Moore said.

Recently several Valley cities have had proposed solar projects go before planning commissions and councils, but many of them have been rejected after pushback from residents and planning commissions.

However, there is a younger generation that is ready to learn and create their own energy.

Saturday a group of students showed off a solar panel protector they made

“With research, we found that it is resistant to things like hail, debris, sand and dust,” one of the students said.