(Good work, Richard! - promoted by Eileen)
 This email was sent by me in response to some comments from other people in the solar industry in Virginia.
A restrictive covenant is attached to the deed of a piece of property, usually by the developer to ensure everyone conforms to standards laid down in the deed (How UnAmerican!!) Examples would be no clothes lines allowed, or all fences must be the same design, or, of interest to me, no solar systems are allowed, or can be seen from a street.
Voting to prevent removing restrictive covenants against solar systems (HB2417) again were the following 15 delegates: Abbitt, Carrico, Cox, Frederick, Gilbert, Griffith, Ingram, Janis, Jones, Marshall, D.W., Merricks, Rust, Saxman, Ware, R.L., Wright. Keep in mind, this is the emasculated version they voted against. These people are obviously against Virginia citizens earning money from a legitimate endeavor, and must also be against the state generating tax off this income. They must also be pro dirty energy as an average solar water heater displaces 2.5 tons of CO2 per year.
Here's my email:
"Hi, Richard Good with Solar Services in Virginia Beach here. I cannot resist the last comment. Relative attractiveness (referring to Virginia's attractiveness for the alternative energy industry)? What relative attractiveness? We cannot even get a simple little thing like removing a restrictive covenant through, which denies home and business owners the right to energy savings and income from the sale of Solar Renewable Energy Credits.
Realizing this is Virginia, I have set my sights low. A one paragraph no cost piece of legislation and it has been introduced by Republican and Democrat alike and has been shot down or altered to negate the meaning 4 times in a row. The reason given? That somehow having a solar system on my roof which adds value, cuts pollution and helps both mine and the states pocketbook is a "taking" from my neighbor. The ugly galvanized furnace vents are not takings, nor are the white PVC plumbing vents or the mushroom attic fans. What codswallop! How is that for a 0 batting average?
Please excuse my cynicism, but having plugged away at the solar industry in Virginia for a quarter century, it is almost impossible not to be cynical. Our predecessor, Solar One, had a dedicated solar powered building where collectors were manufactured back in the early 1980's. It was visited weekly by bus loads of school students. All the solar panels have been removed, as have the geothermal heat pumps and it is now used as a distribution center for Chinese sex toys. How far have we fallen from the 70's and 80's when Virginia was one of the leading solar energy states?
Regards, Richard Good |
