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2019 General Assembly Energy Recap

March 5, 2019 By Editor Leave a Comment

As the 2019 session comes to a close, we’d like to give you a rundown of some of the emerging trends in Virginia’s energy policy. Approximately 60 different energy bills were filed this year, ranging from renewable energy policies and energy efficiency to utility regulation and climate change mitigation. Below are some of the most notable trends of this session.

RGGI

A bill was proposed in the House which prohibits Virginia from joining RGGI, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cooperative of states to cap carbon emissions, currently including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. HB2611 passed both the House and the Senate with ease by a party-line vote. While this bill is likely to be met with a veto, it shows the unfortunate unwillingness to invest in our energy future. This is why your vote matters this year! We need legislators who understand the importance of reducing our reliance on traditional energy sources!

Proposed Large-scale Changes

While many members of the legislature were not prepared to discuss drastic changes in Virginia’s energy mix, there were some noteworthy efforts this year. One was Delegate Rasoul’s “Off Act,” HB1635, which would have created a moratorium on approving any new fossil fuel facilities and other fossil fuel-related activities. It would have also required that retail energy producers sell 80% renewable energy by 2028 and 100% renewable energy by 2036. This bill remarkably made it out of the House Commerce and Labor Committee (which was likely a political move in itself), only to be rejected by the House along party lines.

Other notable efforts came in the form of “Solar Freedom” bills, HB2329 and SB1456. These comprehensive bills tackled issues like removing the cap on net-metering, legalizing power purchase agreements, and decreasing stand-by charges, among other changes. Both of these bills were met with animosity and killed in committee early on in the session.

Funding for Smart Energy Choices

This session saw a number of different bills whose aim was to provide funding for smart energy choices. Some of these solutions came in the form of funding explicitly for solar projects (HB1902) or to incentivize energy efficiency projects (HB2243 & HB2295). None, unfortunately, passed this year. A notable funding bill was HB2165, which would have created a grant program to offset some of the costs of building solar projects on contaminated lands. There are myriad benefits to projects such as these, and while this bill was removed from the docket this year, we will be working hard next session to get it passed.

Common-sense Solar Fixes

Despite some disappointment this session, it is important to highlight some common-sense bills aimed at fixing simple issues in Virginia that did succeed!

HB2293 & SB1605: Create a stakeholder process to provide important input on the development of utility energy efficiency programs.

HB2792 and SB1779 Create a 6-year pilot program for municipal net metering for localities that are customers of utilities.
HB2621 & SB1091: Allows localities to require a decommission plan as a condition for approving a solar site plan.

HB2547 & SB1769: Makes changes to the net-metering program for customers of electric cooperatives, including raising the net-metering cap to 7% of system peak and permitting customers to install enough renewable energy to meet up to 125% of previous year’s demand.

HB 2192 & SB 1331: Creates school modernization initiatives that encourage energy efficient building standards and net zero design.

Crossover is Coming Up – Please Stay Engaged in Supporting Solar for Virginia

February 8, 2018 By Editor

On Tuesday, February 13, the Virginia General Assembly will reach Crossover, which is the session midpoint and means that each chamber must complete on its own bills and begin considering legislation passed by the other body. Crossover also means that bills must pass one house or the either. If the bills do not pass by February 13, then the bills will die for the session.

With less than a week to crossover, your voice is more important than ever! All bills being discussed during this general assembly must be voted on by at least one hour before next Tuesday. Be sure to reach out to your representatives to ensure that the bills you support do not die before crossover occurs.

Please take a moment to email or call your Delegate and Senator to thank him or her for supporting solar in Virginia! Search for your delegate and learn more about how a bill becomes a law in Virginia on our Take Action Page here.

Virginia General Assembly Begins Soon: Quick Links to Help Keep Solar Energy at the Forefront with Legislators

January 9, 2018 By Editor

The 2018 Virginia General Assembly will run for 60 days starting Wednesday, January 10. Powered by Facts hopes to see Virginia lawmakers pass solar and renewable energy legislation that will help the Commonwealth strengthen its energy grid, create more jobs and attract more businesses.

Last year, lawmakers passed several pieces of solar legislation that proved that the solar industry, electric utilities and others – Appalachian Power, Dominion Energy, MD-DC-VA Solar Energy Industry Association, Powered By Facts, the Southern Environmental Law Center and Virginia’s Electric Cooperatives, among others – can work together to move Virginia forward.

From successful passage of AgGEN, which allows farmers to generate additional revenue from solar energy, to a bill that allowed for an increase in Virginia solar energy storage development, 2017 was a great start in the direction of building a more robust solar and renewable energy portfolio for the Commonwealth.

More needs to be done, and we need your continued involvement. Here are ways you can keep track of the bills that are up for consideration, status of bills and schedule of meetings, among other legislative activities:

Check back here to keep updated on solar and renewable energy bills and their status.
Find the schedule of meetings and status of discussion on bills here.
Click on the list of House of Delegates’ Members to find contact information here.
Access contact information for Senate Members here.
A full session calendar for the 2018 General Assembly can be found here.

Powered by Facts will keep you updated on proposed bills specific to solar and other renewable energy throughout the 2018 General Assembly on our News Page and here on our Myths vs. Facts page. We also have joined a coalition of organizations dedicated to keeping on top of proposed legislation and sharing that information with our communities. Called VA Our Way (VOW), we will work closely with each other to share information and to help our readers understand how we can continue to make change for the Commonwealth by making our voices heard on important issues. We will update you soon on VOW.

It’s a Wrap – HB 2303 and SB 1394 Signed by Governor McAuliffe!

March 27, 2017 By Editor

Virginia farmers have a new way to generate a reliable stream of income for up to 25 years with the signing of HB 2303 and SB 1394 by Governor McAuliffe. The identical bills create an additional renewable generation option for farmers known as AgGEN (small agricultural generation tariff) and has the potential to increase income for Virginia farmers while allowing the Commonwealth to reap the benefits of expanded uses of renewable energy.

Virginia House Delegate Randy Minchew (R-Leesburg) was the patron of HB 2303, along with co-patrons, Del. Steve Landes (R-Weyers Cave), and Del. Joe Lindsey (D-Norfolk). Sen. Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach) introduced SB 1394 with support from co-patron Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-Dale City).

Traditionally, Virginia has lagged behind other states in solar energy, but this year’s General Assembly actions may have been a harbinger of change in the Commonwealth. AgGEN, as well as SB 1393 (Electric Utilities; community solar pilot programs), SB 1395 (Permit by Rule Modifications, PBR), passed this session and proved that the solar industry, electric utilities and others – Appalachian Power, Dominion Energy, MD-DC-VA Solar Energy Industry Association, Powered By Facts, and Virginia’s Electric Cooperatives – can work together to move Virginia forward.

This is what AgGEN will do for Virginia, in a nutshell:

AgGEN has certain advantages over agricultural net metering (AgNEM). Under AgGEN, farmers may:

Install larger facilities (up to 1.5 MW).
Receive payment for more generation (up to 150% of annual usage).
Receive payment for both the utility’s avoided cost of electricity plus the utility’s avoided cost of capacity.
In certain utility areas, earn higher rates for power produced during peak demand periods.

The legislation also:

Does not change AgNEM in Dominion and AEP territories.
Does not change residential and nonresidential net metering.
Sunsets AgNEM in Co-op territories on July 1, 2019, but grandfathers current Co-op AgNEM customers for 25 years.
Caps the amount of land that may be used for generation (25% of the farm).
Allows all types of renewable generation.

We encourage you to thank your legislators for showing how working across the aisle can create great new opportunities for Virginia residents and businesses. Specifically, Powered by Facts would like to thank Governor McAuliffe, Kathleen Murphy, and the members of the Senate and House committees who worked on AgGEN and SB 1393 & SB 1395.

A special thanks to Delegates Minchew, Landes and Lindsey, as well as Senators Wagner and Kilgore, for championing farmers and protecting our access to fresh, healthy, locally grown produce, meat and dairy products.

Here’s how you can reach the patrons of AgGEN, SB 1393 and SB 1395, with a call or a thank you note:

Del. Randy Minchew
District Office
P.O. Box 385
Leesburg, VA 20178
703-777-1570

Del. Steve Landes
District Office
P.O. Box 12
Verona, VA 24482
540-245-5540

Del. Joe Lindsey
District Office
505 East Plume Street Suite 105
Norfolk VA 23510
757-623-6522

Sen. Frank Wagner
District Office
P.O. Box 68008
Virginia Beach, VA 23471
757-671-2250

Sen. Jeremy McPike
District Office
P.O. Box 2819
Woodbridge, VA 22195
571-316-0581

Adam P. Ebbin
District Office
P.O. Box 26415
Alexandria, Virginia 22313
(571) 384-8957

Sen. Montgomery “Monty” Mason
District Office 120 Monticello Ave, Ste. 102,
Williamsburg VA 23185

Sen. Jennifer T. Wexton
District Office
20 W. Market Street
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
(703) 672-3696

First in a Series: More Dangerous, More Expensive? Overlooked Consequences of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline

July 20, 2016 By Editor

By Nigam Trivedi, Lehigh University

In recent years, natural gas has been touted as a cheaper and cleaner alternative to both non-renewable and renewable energy sources. Utilities hold strong incentives to build for natural gas supply where they can, and Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline is no exception. In fact, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLP boasts a myriad of supporters in the form of state government officials, private companies and state-level organizations from West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina.

The pipeline’s stated goal is to replace coal power to help reduce carbon emissions. The pipeline plan, however, is not without some significant drawbacks and dangers. In order to construct this pipeline, Dominion Energy has asked for, and has been granted, a right of way through residential homes. The construction of such a pipeline not only gives the corporation the power to supersede ownership rights of so many homeowners, but it also presents a significant safety risk to them as well.

Heidi Cochran of Nelson County, Virginia, has been struggling against Dominion for more than two years to keep the ACP off of her property. Dominion insists on the safety of the pipeline that would run underneath her home. However, one employee of the utility informed her that in the event of an explosion, its radius would measure at 1,100 feet from one side of the pipe, and that such an explosion would set any buildings in the vicinity ablaze. Cochran’s home would stand about 50 feet from this leg of the ACP.

Such catastrophes are not relegated to the imagination, as a fire triggered by the explosion of an underground natural gas pipeline destroyed a block of a San Francisco suburb in 2010. It is worth emphasizing that an explosion such as this carries with it the risk of fatalities as well as significant financial costs of property damage. Solar and wind farms, by comparison, do not present such a risk.

Furthermore, in the aftermath of a pipeline explosion, energy dependent customers would be bereft of that much power until Dominion mustered up the capital to reconstruct it. A wind farm or a solar farm would have the distinct advantage of a decentralized generation layout; a hit to one turbine or a few PV panels wouldn’t knock out miles of power, whereas a break anywhere in the pipeline very well could.

As Dominion continues to insist that the construction of an interstate natural gas pipeline is the quickest path to a cleaner energy future, one must realize that it is not necessarily the safest and most environmentally friendly one. Energy consumers will continue to lose the opportunity to effectively use their own naturally occurring resources while they simultaneously find their property eaten up by a utility that seems to be willing to build at the expense of the consumer.

In his next post in this series, Nigam will explore the pipeline and eminent domain issues surrounding it.

Rainy Days and Solar

May 3, 2016 By Editor

By Karen Schaufeld

It is rainy here in Northern Virginia, and the forecast calls for rain for at least another five days. Kind of gloomy, to be sure, but it reminds me of the oft-misunderstood “rain with solar panels” situation.

Many people think that when it rains, solar panels don’t work, but – while that seems logical – it just isn’t true. In a short post by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), they explain that (while obviously more effective in direct sunlight), solar panels still work even when light is reflected or partially blocked by clouds. According to the SEIA, “Rain actually helps to keep your panels operating efficiently by washing away any dust or dirt.”

What becomes more important in this situation is net metering. According the group, net metering comes into play for solar users during rainy days because, “If the home is net-metered, the electricity meter will run backwards to provide a credit against what electricity is consumed at night or other periods where the home’s electricity use exceeds the system’s output.”

As of 2013, 43 states, including Virginia had net metering policies in place. In the Commonwealth, according to the Department of Mines Minerals and Energy (DMME), net metering is offered for solar and wind up to 20 Kilowatts for residential customers and 500 Kilowatts for non-residential customers. A big impediment to homeowners is the upfront capital cost of purchasing solar panels. A typical home installation my cost $20,000 upfront. A solar array reduces or eliminates electricity bills for the next 25 years and pays the homeowner back many times over.

In other states, homeowners can contract with solar companies to “lease” their roof. In this scenario, the solar company owns the solar panels and reduces the electric bill to the homeowner, often by 20 percent or more. Unfortunately, Virginia law currently prohibits homeowners from taking advantage of these arrangements. We continue to lag behind because of the way state policy is enforced and the way utilities in the Commonwealth are regulated.

This is even more unfortunate for us given that Virginia is a rural state with millions of acres of farmland. We need a stronger net metering policy that would allow residents with land and farmers to “harvest” the sun by installing solar arrays that exceed the 20 kw limit and then use or sell the excess to neighbors or back to utility companies at the retail rate. We tried to make that happen with SB 779, and we plan to continue to push for this in the coming months.

Do you agree? Should you be able to lease your roof and participate in net metering? Should a farm be entitled to make the sun a crop?

Share your thoughts for how Virginia can improve its renewable energy policies with us!

Related information:

Unintended Crusader

Virginia Requires Imported Energy

Imagine What Virginia Could do…

Senator Wagner: Reduce VA’s Reliance on Imported Electricity and Expand Renewable Energy Options

February 22, 2016 By Editor

Senate Bill 779 and Virginia’s Renewable Energy Mix

We recently sat down with Senator Frank Wagner in his office at the Virginia General Assembly to find out more about why Senate Bill 779 was pushed to 2017. Wagner explained that SB 779 will now go to a study group that will include all of the stakeholders involved – renewable energy companies, electric utilities, etc. – to create a bill that is acceptable to everyone before it is re-introduced next year.

Wagner also shared that Virginia imports more energy than any state other than California and calls the amount of energy the Commonwealth imports “untenable.” We greatly appreciate Senator Wagner’s time and commitment to renewable energy in the Commonwealth. Thank him for being an advocate for Virginia ratepayers. Call him at (804) 698-7507, or email him at district07@senate.virginia.gov.

Watch the interview by Powered by Facts Intern Gardner Nash of The University of Richmond, here:

The Time is Now for Virginia to Change Its Views On Renewable Energy

January 6, 2016 By Editor

Renewable Energy Initiative in VA – Legislative Tax Credit Extensions

We were pleased to see the recent passage of two renewable energy bills that included an extension of the 30-percent Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar through 2018, when it will begin ramping down to a permanent 10-percent level. In addition, the new law extended the 2.3-cent Production Tax Credit (PTC) through next year. This means that those building sustainable solar and wind projects in Virginia and across the country will continue to receive credits.

As noted in Green Tech Media, many national groups may now set their sights on local battles around the United States. It is time for that battle for renewable energy legislative change in Virginia. There are myriad reasons that Virginia must start including renewable energy in the mix of options available to ratepayers.

As we’ve noted here on Powered by Facts, these are just a few of the reasons:

Historically a leader in energy production, policies and pricing, the Commonwealth of Virginia is lagging behind. At the end of 2014, Virginia had only 14 MW of solar energy installed across the Commonwealth; while Maryland had 242 MW and Pennsylvania had 247 MW.
During peak energy demand, utilities in the Commonwealth actually purchase electricity from out-of-state sources.
Renewable energy is poised to overtake the increase in need in Virginia more rapidly than conventional power sources.
In Virginia, the renewable energy industry already directly employs more workers than the coal industry.