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HAPPY FRIDAY
November 1, 2024
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Welcome to Energy Right’s weekly roundup! This week our team visited a dozen counties around the
Commonwealth on our mission for
Clean Energy the Right Way.
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Governor’s Summit: Rural Prosperity, Clean Energy & Collaboration
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Photo from First Energy
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This week, Energy Right attended the Governor’s Summit on Rural Prosperity, hosted by the Virginia Rural Center in Wytheville, Virginia. The summit gathered leaders from local, regional, and state organizations, as well as private industry, to discuss challenges facing rural Virginia and explore collaborative solutions for positive change. Engaging in these discussions with a range of stakeholders allowed us to share perspectives on how the Commonwealth can support a more prosperous future for rural communities.
A recurring theme at the summit was the need to drive economic growth and bring jobs to rural areas across the Commonwealth. The CEO and President of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) emphasized, “If we want rural Virginia to grow, we must support manufacturing and industrial projects.” This sentiment resonated among leaders at the event who recognized that, to ensure long-term growth, communities need a reliable foundation of cost-effective renewable energy to power this progress.
The relationship between renewable energy and manufacturing is reshaping the economic landscape, creating jobs and spurring innovation. The rise in clean energy investments, particularly in solar, is stimulating American manufacturing and strengthening domestic supply chains. This partnership builds industrial resilience and advances sustainable practices, helping rural Virginia capture a more robust share of the clean energy economy. As we move forward, our commitment to supporting renewable energy projects the right way remains central to fostering rural prosperity and sustainable growth.
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Solar Energy on Farmland: Navigating Rights and Revenue
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The intersection of property rights, farmland, and solar energy development is critical as society transitions away from traditional energy sources and leaving a pocket to be filled behind. Farmers today face the challenge of balancing traditional agricultural practices with inflating prices and challenges with crop and herd. Alongside all of this, there are less conventional avenues that also raise questions—solar installations and clean energy projects may bring opportunities, but landowners and farmers in different counties may have different property rights. In this context, property rights take center stage as landowners navigate leases and contracts that shape land use and value. One of the many
options for this land is solar development, which offers clear benefits: additional income, no permanent structures or installations (like a factory or processing plant may leave behind), and even dual-use opportunities like solar grazing.
For landowners, utilizing their land for well-planned solar projects can help to optimize their property’s potential and contribute to the community in turn. These projects not only offer direct economic gains through leasing agreements and reduced electricity costs but also align with larger societal goals. Limiting these opportunities risks stalling clean energy progress and restricting economic options for farmers and landowners interested in diversifying their income. Supporting landowners in solar development strengthens both individual property rights and community perspective for long term goals, creating a path that benefits both rural communities and the energy landscape as a whole.
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This week, our team travelled to:
Buchanan, King George, Fluvanna, Surry, Pittsylvania, Roanoke, and Wythe counties.
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This week we attended a planning commission meeting in Surry County to share public comment on
proposed amendments to the county’s solar ordinance. We shared a message of respecting the property rights of landowners and for the county to judge projects individually and on their merits.
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Industry Leaders Talk Innovative Energy Solutions at Chamber Forum
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Industry leaders at the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce forum discussed strategies for meeting Northern Virginia’s surging power needs as data center demand rises. Solutions presented included advanced battery storage, small modular nuclear reactors, and district energy systems, which could help stabilize and improve grid efficiency. Dominion Energy and regional leaders emphasized the need for innovation and efficient power use, including renewables and potential AI applications, to address current power constraints and ensure future resilience in Virginia’s largest data center hub.
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NEXT WEEK
We’ll be going to Bath, Giles, Fluvanna, Mecklenburg and Washington counties.
Have a great weekend!
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“A coalition that represents solar developers in Virginia plans to ask the legislature to change how
solar projects are approved at the local level, arguing that municipal bans are hurting efforts to meet the requirements of the state’s 2020 Clean Economy Act.
In the past 18 months, 33 large utility-scale solar projects — representing 3,236 megawatts of power — have been rejected across the state, according to the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, or MAREC, which represents 47 renewable energy developers.”
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