An editorial with the standard disclaimer: the views expressed do not necessarily represent those of all Oregon Hill residents.

The phrase ‘Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater’ is a very old fashioned and awkward idiom. It dates back to at least 1500’s Germany with the proverb, das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten. It’s essentially a warning to avoid an error in which one eliminates something good or of value while trying to get rid of something unwanted.

In this case, ‘the baby’ is a proposal to add solar panels to up to 39 buildings in downtown Richmond with the help of company called Secure Solar Futures. And Richmond’s ‘bathwater’, let’s face it, is very murky.

This past week, citizen watchdogs and Council members rightly zero’ed in on questions about rushed timing and perceived risks of the deal. Despite a strong showing of support by environmental activists at their meeting, City Council voted down the proposal and there’s been a lot of conjecture and hand wringing ever since. Honestly, the City’s Department of Sustainability is known more for its overpaid director position than pushing real environmental change. Citizens want code changes but instead get weak corporate promises. Of course, rather than picking on one department, let’s just say the whole City government can be cast in a similar light. It has a long history of not maintaining public infrastructure while handing out corporate welfare, all while shamefully holding back on transparency. More recently, a quick investigation of the deal revealed a possible conflict of interest with a City Department of Sustainability employee. Even the mayor did a reversal, and abandoned his support for the deal. In short, to citizens’ non-surprise, the City totally flubbed it.

Even with all of this, ‘the baby’, the solar deal, should be saved. Critics are incredulous, but this ‘baby’ is special and is vital for Richmond’s future.

First, it’s important to recognize that continued reliance on fossil fuels puts the City at risk environmentally and economically. Richmond faces rising average temperatures and longer, more intense heat waves, with days above 95°F projected to surge significantly by 2050. Combustion emissions drive global climate changes that increase heavy downpours and flood risks across the James River watershed. Methane leaks from public utility infrastructure—such as those tracked across the Richmond service region—trap massive amounts of heat and present severe localized fire hazards. Fuel emissions contribute to worsening short-term particle pollution (soot) in the Richmond metropolitan area, threatening vulnerable groups like children and seniors with asthma or heart disease. Richmond is still infamous as ‘the national asthma capital’.

Of course, rising fuel prices along with high rates of lost gas place heavy financial burdens on local ratepayers and strain city resources. The city negotiates its electricity through the Virginia Energy Purchasing Governmental Association (VEPGA). Under recent contracts heavily dictated by regional power production (ie. Dominion), municipal electricity rates jumped by roughly 25%, with an additional 12% increase expected. Richmond spent over $18 million on municipal electricity in a single fiscal year.

Solar to the rescue

The best time to install solar was yesterday. It is has become known worldwide as the cheapest, cleanest way to produce energy. The reality is that Richmond was founded on renewable energy. The James River’s current and hydro power at the falls was used for mills and gins and population settled around these industries. Sadly the City long ago eschewed that legacy, giving in to corporate utility and monopoly. Dominion has a business model that is based on centralized production and managed grid distribution, while renewable energy, especially solar, challenges that business model, as it can be produced, distributed, and stored independently of the grid. It’s important that Richmond return to its renewable energy roots. Yes, Richmond needs this deal, this ‘baby’, to do that.

So what critics say, we can still be for solar but against this particular deal. They say that there will be ‘other, less ugly babies’ to consider. But they are wrong.

Side note: There is an unmistakable parallel between the solar deal’s exposed, possible conflict of interest within the Sustainability Department and the Planning Department’s developer cronies enriching themselves off of the proposed Code Refresh project while pretending its about affordable housing. But it is a mistake to lump the solar deal in with the terrible Code Refresh – The solar deal’s presentation sucked, the solar deal did appear rushed, and there is possible appearance of corruption, but that does not mean this solar deal has actually been corrupted or that the deal is not a good one for the City.

For one thing- say anything you want about City government, but Secure Solar Futures has a strong reputation as a reliable, community-focused solar developer for institutions, local governments, and schools across Virginia. They frequently win municipal and school district contracts through standard competitive bidding processes. They prioritize long-term logistical, financial, and workforce training commitments over “fly-in, fly-out” contracting. They have extensive experience working with localities throughout Virginia, including acting as a technical resource partner for regional initiatives like the Coalfield Solar Fund. In other words, they deserve more trust than City Hall and Dominion combined. Recently, the Town of Blacksburg contracted with Secure Solar Futures to complete construction of a 866.71-kilowatt solar power system on its transit facility. That system is being completed at no upfront cost to the Town of Blacksburg through a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Secure Solar Futures. Sound familiar?

If the terms of the deal are not quite as sweet as those of other solar deals that Secure Solar Futures has done with other Virginia entities, keep in mind that City of Richmond does not exactly have a stellar reputation as a partner. Exhibit number one: the current fracas about the development around the new Diamond baseball stadium, with lawsuits flying. (More than a few citizens are not backing their own City government or the Flying Squirrels organization, but rooting for Team Topolina). Yet Secure Solar Futures has still been willing to listen to concerns and tweak the deal’s details in some places.

Furthermore, recognize that there is only one solar deal, ‘this baby’, on the table. While it would be lovely to find new deals and bring in things like net metering, the City is restricted by state and utility rules. Furthermore, frankly, the City has neither the financing or solar expertise/ability to pull this off independently. Like it or not, Secure Solar Futures is the only game in town, at least right for now…

…And that brings us to the urgency…from the federal level…The Trump administration’s aggressive policy shifts, executive orders, and legislative rollbacks—such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have heavily stalled federal approvals, terminated key tax credits, and frozen authorizations for major renewable developments, directly threatening existing and planned solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) nationwide. Action by President Donald Trump’s administration to revoke or alter clean energy tax credits created an urgent deadline for ordering equipment to keep municipal solar proposals financially viable. In other words, there is a deadline approaching. If Richmond does not get a solar deal done soon, when will it be possible again? When Trump is out of power? When the Democrats act to put tax credits back in place? How many years will these things take?

Also, not to be forgotten, the City’s long reliance on dirty, increasingly expensive fossil fuels with centralized production and antique grid distribution not only makes the City backward and dirty, it also endangers it and makes it very vulnerable. In January 2025 the City water utility broke down due to faulty infrastructure, including an unreliable backup generator plan, resulting very close to catastrophe for the greater Richmond area. The City must modernize its energy infrastructure, including more reliable renewable energy sources, before the next disaster hits.

We need more citizens to tell City Council, yes, the City administration’s incompetence is well recognized, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!