I am tired of the fossil fuels threatening our health and environment. I am tired of fossil fuel industries running amok over over neighborhoods, localities, and government in general. 

I put solar (with battery backup) on my house in 2009 in part in as a big sign to Dominion. It was also partly my own response to losing grid power at my residence for almost two weeks in the wake of Hurrican Isabel. I live right next to downtown Richmond, right next door to Dominion's HATED riverfront headquarters. As of right now, I am watching Dominion try to game Richmond City politics to make their projects a priorityover schools, despite over 85% of Richmond voters, 99% of RIchmond of Richmond's African American voters having voted for the Put Schools First referendum. It is absolutely disgusting and shameful.  

I have advocated tirelessly for more solar in my neighborhood, on our schools and municipal buildings. I am advocating for it here. 

I will reiterate Jim Bier's earlier comment: 

Distributed grid-tied photovoltaic solar and battery storage will be part of resilient power system

As a Virginia resident and ratepayer, I urge the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy to prioritize distributed renewable energy in the update of Virginia’s State Energy Plan. Regulations and technology should be developed which couple grid-tied power and distributed battery storage of power to provide a lower-cost, more environmentally responsible power system that is win-win-win for environment, homeowner, and utility.

Our current electric grid is outdated, vulnerable to extreme weather events, and inadequate to meet our state’s energy challenges and to take advantage of the clean energy revolution. Instead of a centralized and static system, Virginia’s electric grid should be a two-way, democratic energy network with solar as the cornerstone that builds resilient, local power into our communities and gives consumers the choice to benefit from their own energy production.

Due to advancing solar and storage technology and declining costs, it’s clear that the key to the modern grid will be distributed rooftop solar coupled with battery storage and electric vehicles. Instead of relying on energy generated hundreds of miles away and transmitted through vulnerable infrastructure, solar plus storage allows us to power our grid safely with a dependable and affordable fuel supply that generates economic benefits and jobs throughout the Commonwealth.

Thank you for planning wisely for Virginia’s energy future.