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Remember Virginia's $60/mo "standby charge" for solar owners?
Interesting exchange of opinions in WaPost:
Dominion Power’s wind and solar facade
By Ivy Main,
Perhaps you remember the Dominion Power print ads that ran last year. Big, glossy spreads showing seagrass bending in the breeze, with a picture of a wind turbine and the words, “Natural. Abundant. Renewable. Wind. That’s why we’re harnessing it to help power Virginia’s energy future.”
Only, it turns out, it isn’t. It never was. Forced to reveal the energy sources the company uses to meet Virginia’s voluntary renewable portfolio standards, Dominion admitted that its customers in Virginia are getting precisely zero wind power.
...
Yes, the Dominion family owns some wind farms, one just across the state line in West Virginia. But we aren’t getting a single electron of that energy, because Dominion sells it to other states that have much tougher standards for what counts as renewable energy. For us in Virginia, Dominion buys cheap certificates that no one else wants.
That’s a great deal for Dominion. According to the Southern Environmental Law Center, $1.7 million could buy enough of these certificates to satisfy Dominion’s 2010 RPS targets, qualifying the company to collect an extra $76 million over two years from its ratepayers....
By Ivy Main,
Perhaps you remember the Dominion Power print ads that ran last year. Big, glossy spreads showing seagrass bending in the breeze, with a picture of a wind turbine and the words, “Natural. Abundant. Renewable. Wind. That’s why we’re harnessing it to help power Virginia’s energy future.”
Only, it turns out, it isn’t. It never was. Forced to reveal the energy sources the company uses to meet Virginia’s voluntary renewable portfolio standards, Dominion admitted that its customers in Virginia are getting precisely zero wind power.
...
Yes, the Dominion family owns some wind farms, one just across the state line in West Virginia. But we aren’t getting a single electron of that energy, because Dominion sells it to other states that have much tougher standards for what counts as renewable energy. For us in Virginia, Dominion buys cheap certificates that no one else wants.
That’s a great deal for Dominion. According to the Southern Environmental Law Center, $1.7 million could buy enough of these certificates to satisfy Dominion’s 2010 RPS targets, qualifying the company to collect an extra $76 million over two years from its ratepayers....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dominion-powers-wind-and-solar-facade/2011/12/29/gIQAB1d8QP_story.html
CEO of Dominion Power responds:
The right energy mix for Virginia
By Paul D. Koonce,
...Renewable energy is and will continue to be an important element of Dominion’s plan to meet our customers’ needs. It is part of a balanced approach, a balance that is necessary to protect the environment, keep rates low and reliability high, and support economic growth across the commonwealth. Forcing an over-reliance on any one source of energy — no matter how well-intentioned — can threaten that balance.
Dominion Virginia Power and its sister companies have a broad array of renewable facilities in operation, under construction or in development. While it may appear to be a relatively small portion of our generating capacity, these renewable projects have the potential to power more than 400,000 homes.
Our renewable generation includes one of the largest biomass plants in the East, taking advantage of one of Virginia’s richest renewable resources. Four more biomass projects are in various stages of construction or development. We operate several hydroelectric facilities and have announced plans for solar arrays on commercial and public buildings. Other Dominion companies operate large wind farms in Indiana and West Virginia.
All of these efforts are part of the broader picture of energy affordability and reliability. Affordable and reliable energy is a prime factor in Virginia’s consistent ranking by publications such as Forbes as one of the best states in the nation for business. A good climate for business is a good climate for jobs...
By Paul D. Koonce,
...Renewable energy is and will continue to be an important element of Dominion’s plan to meet our customers’ needs. It is part of a balanced approach, a balance that is necessary to protect the environment, keep rates low and reliability high, and support economic growth across the commonwealth. Forcing an over-reliance on any one source of energy — no matter how well-intentioned — can threaten that balance.
Dominion Virginia Power and its sister companies have a broad array of renewable facilities in operation, under construction or in development. While it may appear to be a relatively small portion of our generating capacity, these renewable projects have the potential to power more than 400,000 homes.
Our renewable generation includes one of the largest biomass plants in the East, taking advantage of one of Virginia’s richest renewable resources. Four more biomass projects are in various stages of construction or development. We operate several hydroelectric facilities and have announced plans for solar arrays on commercial and public buildings. Other Dominion companies operate large wind farms in Indiana and West Virginia.
All of these efforts are part of the broader picture of energy affordability and reliability. Affordable and reliable energy is a prime factor in Virginia’s consistent ranking by publications such as Forbes as one of the best states in the nation for business. A good climate for business is a good climate for jobs...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-right-energy-mix-for-virginia/2012/01/06/gIQAY9EmfP_story.html
