Energix Campaign
The Virginia Coalition for Human Rights (VCHR) supports responsible solar energy, but it opposes the construction of solar energy projects by Energix in Virginia. The map below shows the status of Energix solar projects as of July 2021.
VCHR opposes Energix because it is an LLC incorporated under Energix Group, Ltd., an Israeli-based company that has been cited by the United Nations for its violations of human rights in the West Bank and the Golan Heights.
Cited as #32 on a United Nations list for constructing renewable energy projects on occupied land in Palestine and in Syria, Energix has brought its worst practices to Virginia that has resulted in almost $200,000 of fines imposed by the state Department of Environmental Quality. In addition, Energix exclusively utilizes solar panels that consist of the toxic metal alloy Cadmium Telluride (CdTe), which has the potential to leach into soil and water.
To date (March 2024), Virginia communities in six counties have successfully opposed nine Energix applications for solar energy projects:
- Feb 2024 - Amherst County: Permit denied to Piney River Solar
- May 2023 - Dinwiddie County: Energix withdrawal of Lily Pond Solar
- May 2023 - Amherst County: Energix withdrawal of Piney River Solar
- May 2023 - Franklin County: Energix withdrawal of Mountain Brook Solar
- Nov 2022 - New Kent County: Energix withdrawal of New Kent Solar
- Oct 2022 - Pulaski County: Permit denied to Helios Solar
- Sept 2022 - Caroline County: Permit denied to Racehorse Solar
- Oct 2021 - Dinwiddie County: Permit denied to Lily Pond Solar
- Sept 2021 - Franklin County: Energix withdrawal of Westlake Solar
VCHR Presentation on Energix in Virginia
On March 4, 2022, Jeanne Trabulsi presented a comprehensive overview of the Eject Energix campaign at the Transcending the Israel Lobby Home and Abroad Conference 2022. The conference was held at the The National Press Club and organized by the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy, Inc.
What can you do?
Customize these VCHR documents to the community to suit your purposes:
- Slide deck to local governing boards
- Slide deck to Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
- Letter to the surrounding community
Consent Orders and Notice of Violation to Energix
10/18/2023 - DEQ Notice of Violation issued for six Energix sites
03/06/2023 - DEQ Enforcement Action - Consent Order issued for seven Energix sites
06/08/2022 - DEQ Enforcement Action - Consent Order issued for Caden Energix Wytheville
CdTe Test Reports
01/12/2021 - Size- and Surface-Dependent Solubility of Cadmium Telluride
05/13/2018 - Study warns of environmental risks from solar modules
08/15/2017 - Leaching of Cadmium and Tellurium from Cadmium Telluride
02/21/2015 - CdTe and CdSe leaching behavior and surface chemistry in response to pH and O2
Press Releases
09/10/2020 - VCHR opposes excessive Virginia subsidies to Energix Renewable Energies, Ltd.
Newspaper Articles
02/22/2024 - The News and Advance: Supervisors vote to deny Piney River solar facility
03/17/2023 - Martinsville Bulletin: Trabulsi: Understand true impact of solar farms
02/06/2023 - The Carroll News: VHCR issues statement regarding Energix solar projects
11/22/2022 - Daily Press- Tidewater Review: Solar farm proposal withdrawn in New Kent
10/29/2022 - The Pulaski County Patriot: Supervisors reject permit for Shiloh solar project
10/31/2021 - The Dinwiddie Monitor: Dinwiddie rejects solar project agreement
09/09/2021 - The Roanoke Times: Westlake solar farm plans scrapped
by energy company