The Daily Signal The Hidden Costs of Solar: Andy Anderson Exposes the Flaws in Virginia’s Clean Economy Act
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Oct 21, 2025 Andy Anderson, a savvy businessman and energy commentator, delves into the flaws of the Virginia Clean Economy Act. He discusses the misleading statistics behind solar energy's efficiency and the disappointing performance of solar sites in Virginia. Anderson connects tax incentives to the decline of coal plants and underscores reliability issues during peak demand times. He also raises concerns about the economic impact of ending federal subsidies and the risks posed by reliance on foreign manufacturing in the energy sector.
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Peak Ratings Mislead On Real Solar Output
- Solar "100 megawatt" ratings reflect peak output, not average production, so advertised capacity misleads ratepayers.
- Andy Anderson says Virginia solar averaged ~21% capacity, with some sites as low as 12%, reducing real value.
Subsidies And Rules Shifted The Generation Mix
- Federal tax credits and regulatory pressure pushed utilities and developers toward solar and wind despite lower effective capacity.
- Anderson argues this led to decommissioning reliable coal plants and increased grid vulnerability.
Timing Mismatch Creates Reliability Risk
- Solar doesn't serve morning and evening peak demand, so replacing baseload plants creates reliability gaps.
- Anderson warns Virginia now risks brownouts because intermittent renewables don't match peak timing.