In 2020, the Virginia legislature initiated a program to bring more rooftop solar to municipalities. Dominion found a work around.
to many schools, community centers, and park buildings in the county. Those systems would be paid for over time by reductions in the amount of money the county paid to Dominion, the utility company that services much of Virginia, including Fairfax County. Those rooftop solar installations were expected to generate up to 45 megawatts of emissions-free electricity and save the taxpayers of Fairfax County $60 million over their expected 25 year useful life.
Fairfax County officials say they were inspired by agreements in other jurisdictions and by environmental activists. The inclusion of nearly 90 schools in the county’s initiative was due in large measure to a group of student activists –especially those at James Madison High School in Vienna who had lobbied for solar energy for several years.
“This is a unique requirement by Dominion for this size system,” John Morrill, director of the Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination told the. “Wouldn’t some other technology that’s less expensive be suitable?” Dominion says the upgrades are necessary for grid reliability and safety to prevent arc flashes, wildfires or injuries to line workers.
“We went from a worst case scenario of interconnection fees being about $20,000 — and that was a rare, worst case scenario — to we’re starting out at half a million and going up from there. They’ve literally shut down midsize solar,” said Alden Cleanthes of Norfolk Solar, which specializes on rooftop solar in low income communities.
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