Category Archives: energy

Solar Schools For Richmond

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Some good news- announcement from District 1 School Board representative, Liz Doerr, on Medium.com:

Richmond, Va. — As the new school year begins, Richmond Public Schools is making moves toward a bright year and an even brighter future thanks to a generous grant from the Community Foundation and a partnership with innovative clean energy company Secure Futures Solar. RVA Solar Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, recently committed the $100,000 award to support a new Sustainability Associate position for RPS, as well as the purchase and installation of energy monitoring systems at selected school sites.

Go to the article for more information.

Solar Patriotism At VCU This Friday

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This community news site has run many editorials and posts in favor of more solar energy.

This Friday there will be a talk and book signing by Erik Curren, author of The Solar Patriot: A Citizen’s Guide to Helping America Win Clean Energy Independence.

From book description:

In the spirit of 1776, The Solar Patriot aims to recruit ordinary citizens as champions for homegrown, all-American clean energy. If you think that solar power should become America’s top energy source, and you’d like to help make it happen, then this is the book you’ve been waiting for. Even if you don’t have solar panels on your own roof, The Solar Patriot will give you ideas to join the revolution to free America from the tyranny of fossil fuels and make our nation cleaner, safer and more prosperous.

After Erik’s talk, he will join panelists Katharine Bond of Dominion Energy and Aaron Sutch of Solar United Neighbors of Virginia for a discussion of what it will take to get more solar power in Virginia.

The event will take place at 3 pm in the VCU Commons Theater (907 Floyd Ave) and it is free and open to the public.

Overnight Solar Leak Prompts Neighborhood Evacuation

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A solar leak in Richmond’s Oregon Hill prompted the voluntary evacuation of nearly 100 homes near the intersection of Laurel Street and Spring Street. The leak was reported around 11 p.m. Saturday. Most neighbors were allowed to return to their homes around 2 a.m. Sunday.

Richmond Fire Department and Police Department responded to the area just after 11:00 p.m, along with Dominion Energy technicians. United Solar Neighbors’ representative Aaron Sutch was also on hand to comfort neighbors.

Laurel Street neighbor Tommy Birchett reported a strong odor in the area and saw solar streaks in the sky above his street, though a Holly Street neighbor who had recently installed solar in her residence says she did not see anything. A Dominion spokesperson said solar is still an experimental fuel, which is why it is must be kept under the utility’s control.

Crews closed Laurel Street between Albemarle and Holly in order to repair the leak.

This alarming event is somewhat similar to a gas line leak evacuation that took place this past Thursday in a West End neighborhood in Henrico. The main difference being that Henrico gas event was real.

Solar Success

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Congratulations to Phaedra and Eric for hosting a great Solar Open House this afternoon as part of the Richmond Solar Co-op. Over thirty people came to check out their recent large residential installation. More rooftop solar in the neighborhood will lead to a cleaner, more resilient neighborhood grid and is certainly a reason for celebration.

By the way, this morning the Tesla dealership out on West Broad featured a presentation on their home energy plans and the latest iteration of their Powerwall energy storage product.

Solar Co-op Meeting On Oregon Hill This Saturday

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Holly Street neighbor Phaedra Hise is hosting a meeting of the Richmond Solar Open House this Saturday.

RSVP for the event at: www.solarunitedneighbors.org/RichmondSolarOpenHouse

Have you ever considered going solar?
Come to a Solar Open House!

Saturday, February 24, 2018
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Solar Home of Phaedra Hise:
714 Holly St, Richmond, VA 23220

Tour the solar home of Phaedra Hise, ask questions about solar and the co-op process, and connect with other homeowners in the area who are interested in solar! Stop by for a few or stay for a while!

Learn more about our Richmond Solar Co-op at: www.solarunitedneighbors.org/richmond

Eighty Five Percent

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Voters in Richmond have approved a referendum that would change the city charter to require the Mayor to craft a plan to modernize Richmond Public Schools facilities without raising taxes (This does NOT preclude the Mayor or City Council from coming up with another school modernization plan that does raise taxes.)

Richmonders voted Tuesday on the 350-word referendum, which now must pass through the Virginia General Assembly. According to unofficial results, the referendum passed with 85 percent of the vote. Eighty five percent.

Now that the Put Schools First/Richmond School Modernization referendum has passed, will local environmental and faith-based groups join the Sierra Club Falls of the James in calling for energy conservation, green building, and solar roofs to be part of Richmond school modernization?

We know that Dominion and the Richmond Children’s Museum are partnering to put small, ‘experimental’ solar on a few school roofs, but citizens should be demanding that Richmond install large, ‘working’ solar arrays on public schools (and elsewhere). Other Virginia localities are in the process of doing so now, often at their students’ urging.