Dominion is implementing solar on the roof of it’s riverfront parking garage this week after staging materials last week. Though some solar advocates cheer, it deserves more scrutiny.

While there is widespread support for solar in the neighborhood and elsewhere, this installation comes after repeated complaints that it will block more of the historic public view of the James River from Oregon Hill. And in the big picture it is part of a disturbing pattern from Dominion and the City.
That Dominion is ignoring neighborhood residents should come as no surprise. The company has a history of deception and betrayal. In 1999-2000, Dominion and the neighborhood were in bitter contention over plans to build a high rise office complex on the riverfront. The neighborhood worked with outside groups to try to hold Dominion more accountable, even though City Council and Planning Commission notably did not. Ancient history, maybe, but note that Dominion still clings to its City-given legal right to build something taller.
In pushing themselves onto to the riverfront location, approval was given in part because they promised to move their operations center with “hundreds of jobs” from the county to Tredegar Street. But of course they lied and that did not happen.
And in the process of trying to smooth things over, Dominion met with different community representatives about riverfront plans. At the time, traffic was brought up as a chief concern, and Dominion assured City Council that existing roadways could serve the additional traffic created by its development. They lied again. Ten years later, Dominion insisted on a new road while at the same time saying it had no plans for new development “at this time.” And then came Venture Richmond’s push for an amphitheater. It was very sad to see Richmond’s historic riverfront get this corporate driveway treatment. Many trees were cut down and wildlife displaced, and the historic canal was again cut into. When this new road was proposed, Oregon Hill residents suggested extending Spring Street to 5th Street instead. They were ignored.

Getting back to solar and the present day, it’s very important to note that when Dominion did build its complex on the riverfront, the architects created a huge, south-facing, sloping roof for it’s ‘Enron-like’ energy-trading floor FOR solar. PV panels could be put flush to that roof and have little to no impact on the historic river view from Oregon Hill. Despite this long-existing option, Dominion is building more height on top of its parking garage. Once again, Dominion purposely ignores citizens and alternatives.

So what, some solar advocates say. They don’t care about this historic neighborhood or even the riverfront. So what if this parking garage array is mostly a prop for the Dominion executives and politicians to point to during protests, it’s still more solar.
Maybe, but consider that, above all, this is more energy that Dominion OWNS, not the government, and certainly not citizens.

Case in point- the City’s Department of Public Utilities is beginning to re-roof the Byrd Park reservoir. Planned for many years, this project is a perfect opportunity for the City to make its own investment in renewable energy by copying what other localities all over the world have done and add solar to the new reservoir roof. The energy produced there could be invaluable for emergency/disaster recovery operations. Citizens have asked for it. The Byrd Park Civic Association asked for it. Yet there is NO mention of solar whatsoever in the planning. When our previous Councilperson, Parker Agelasto, asked for it years ago, the DPU head at that time (now PROMOTED by Stoney’s administration) deflected by saying it would violate agreements with Dominion.

Certainly, there are other examples where ‘muni-solar’ opportunities been discouraged and stomped on by Dominon. More ‘solar schools’ was one of the goals of the ‘Put Schools First’ movement– remember how the previous Dominion C.E.O. suddenly inserted himself in school board politics? Now, instead of fixing up old schools (and adding solar!), the local corporate media tells us that City Council and School Board are too busy fighting over the building of a NEW George Wythe High School.

Let’s look at the statewide level. Recently, Aaron Sutch, the Virginia program director for Solar United Neighbors, highlighted Dominion’s “bogus arguments” in regard to state policy and solar OWNED by communities and citizens. Even when ‘big box’ out-of-state corporations have asked to ‘go solar’ in Virginia, Dominion has discouraged it. It’s reprehensible given the opportunities. Coming back to local, recognize that Stone Brewing continues to expand here but does not ‘go solar’ here, despite having lots of solar at its California facilities. They know that Dominion and government discourages it. Dominion overall does not want distributed rooftop solar, they would rather have ‘utility-sized’ solar that THEY CONTROL installed as Virginians argue about ‘solar farms’.

The point is that Dominion will continue to pretend to ‘go solar’ while ignoring citizen and neighborhood concerns and doing all it can to discourage anyone else from competing with them for energy production. Indeed, this is why Dominion took over so much of Richmond’s riverfront in the first place. Government, captured by corporate money, will not stand in Dominion’s way. This is detrimental to not just Virginia citizens, but for humanity, as we face more climate change.

TODAY is the deadline to send comments to the SCC to help increase VA SREC values.

Background:The VA State Corporation Commission is setting the rules for the implementation of the DG carveout for the Virginia Clean Economy Act as it relates to Dominion Energy filing. The carveout is the percentage of the 100% clean energy goal that will be allocated to distributed solar projects. The Commission will determine what kind of energy projects qualify for the carveout and ultimately how much SRECs are valued. The commission will decide the extent to which solar homeowners are eligible for these credits, and if so, how much these credits are worth. Their decision will affect the value of SREC’s, an important production-based incentive for solar on homes, businesses, and nonprofits in VA.
We’re asserting that to maintain a high value SREC, it’s important that the SCC reserves the solar carveout in the VCEA exclusively for net metered, customer-owned and sited solar. We also see the opportunity to ask the SCC to increase the floor of the carveout as well. But the biggie is making sure that the carveout is reserved for customer owned and sited generation. Solar United Neighbors is joining a number of industry groups to intervene in the proceeding but it’s important that as many VA solar advocates (you’ll) comment as well!
Submit Comments to the SCC before COB 2/12/21.
The commission is accepting public comments regarding Dominion Energy’s filing through Friday.
Go this link:
https://www.scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/comment/PUR-2020-00134
Follow the directions. Fill out the required information, including your name, address, email and other contact information.
In the section marked ‘Comments’, explain why the SCC should support Virginians’ ability to go solar. We’ve drafted a message below, but please personalize your message. If you have solar, tell the commission how it has benefited you and your family. If you don’t have solar, tell the commission you support expanding solar in Virginia.
Hit the submit button
Email to State Corporation Commission (feel free to customize based on your personal or organizational goals)

Dear State Corporation Commission Staff and Commissioners, RE: PUR-2020-00134
The solar installed on homes and businesses across the Commonwealth does more than provide electricity. It creates good local jobs. It makes our electric grid more reliable. And, it provides clean energy. Distributed solar owners deserve credits for these benefits.
Distributed solar energy must play a role in Virginia’s 100% clean energy goal as part of the Virginia Clean Economy Act. You can see that this happens by taking the following steps:
– Reserve the distributed generation carveout solely for customer-owned and sited,net metered solar systems.
– The 1% distributed generation carveout should be a minimum, not maximum amount. This will ensure that more Virginians are able to participate and receive a value for their role in Virginia’s clean energy transition.
– Increase the carve out by a minimum of 1% of the annual RPS requirement on a yearly basis to ensure maximum economic impact. This is consistent with the economic transition requirements contained in the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
Distributed solar is responsible for creating a majority of all solar jobs in Virginia. More distributed solar means more jobs and local economic growth in our communities. For every 1MW of residential solar, 31 jobs are created. Every kW of distributed solar brings $2,425 in economic activity.
Limiting the types of projects eligible for the distributed generation carveout will make solar more accessible to low-income families and support a more broad portfolio of projects in the Commonwealth.
Thank you for reading my letter. Please ensure customer-owned solar plays a role in our clean energy mix.
Regards,