News Roundup: A slate of new legislation expected for Virginia’s 2020 legislative session and improving renewable energy systems at home

New Bills Challenge Scope of Dominion’s Power
With the new Democratic majority in Virginia, many are anticipating legislation targeted at reducing Dominion Energy’s power in the state. One major piece of legislation is the Fair Energy Bills Act, which is aimed at allowing the State Corporation Commission (SCC) more authority over the rates charged by Dominion to consumers. A recent estimate suggests that last year Dominion overcharged customers by $277.3 million. Another bill with teeth is the Green New
Deal Act, which would, in essence, require Dominion to phase out its nuclear power plants and stop its investment into its fossil fuel infrastructure. These are just a few of the various bills that are likely to make changes to Virginia’s energy law structure. Read more here.
The Clean Energy Choice Act introduced in Virginia
Senator Jeremy McPike and Delegate Mike Mullin introduced the Clean Energy Choice Act, which will ensure that competitive energy suppliers can continue to provide renewable options to Virginians. The 100% renewable purchase option has come into question because of lobbying efforts on behalf of Dominion. The patron expressed hope that this bill would help pave the way for more renewable energy and get Virginia closer to its goal of 100% renewable energy by
2050. Read the full story here.
Virginia energy advocates launch new rooftop solar legal initiative
Virginia homeowners notoriously have difficulty navigating regulations and permitting processes to install solar panels on their homes. A local nonprofit group and a Virginia law firm have teamed up to help homeowners who are being stifled by homeowners’ associations. Read more about this initiative here.
Local Solar Installers Embrace Big New Opportunity: Home Battery Add-Ons
SunPower, a national solar installer, recently unveiled an in-house residential storage product. The coupling of solar and storage is very important for maximizing the effectiveness of a solar installation. Until now, the storage industry has been slow-growing, especially in comparison to the solar industry. But especially as other options become more expensive, and storage technology improves, a combination of residential PV and battery storage will become more common in American homes. Read the full story here.