Meeting clean energy goals requires strong legislation

This legislative session, Virginia came close to adopting strong renewable energy policy that put the Old Dominion on the right track for meeting state climate goals. While this forward progress was put on hold, the work state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg and the Senate Local Government Committee put into Senate Bill 697 does not go unnoticed and, most importantly, shouldn’t end here.

In 2020, Virginia adopted the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), setting a state-mandated goal of 100% clean energy by 2045. Until now, no significant legislation has been proposed to ensure that Virginia remains on track to achieve this goal. SB697 would allow for further renewable energy development by proposing modest changes for permitting clean energy projects, principally by ensuring that proposed projects are given fair consideration at the local level. The bill, however, did not require any project ultimately be approved. Virginia’s cities and counties are as unique as the valleys, ridges, plateaus and coastal plains they run through, and nothing in SB697 usurps local control over what ultimately gets built within them.

Without these changes, Virginia remains 36th in the nation for clean energy generation, with clean energy only accounting for 6.6% of the share of the state’s electricity. Achieving 100% renewable energy will be nearly impossible without legislation that empowers clean power development. As the years come and go, the commonwealth of Virginia only continues to grow, and along with it, the need for a larger energy supply to keep up with demand. These needs and goals are not going anywhere; in fact, with inaction they will only get bigger. If the point of the VCEA was to expand renewable energy development, why aren’t we pursuing legislation that makes that possible?

Renewable energy has already positively impacted Virginia’s communities, and the numbers speak for themselves. Our 3,412 MW of operating clean energy and storage capacity employs 7,400 Virginians — a number that doesn’t account for the jobs supported up and down the supply chain in manufacturing, construction and transportation. These projects provide $14.4 million annually in state and local taxes to fund public schools, needed community improvements, emergency services and more. Legislation such as SB697 makes it easier for these numbers to grow larger and for Virginia to attract new business, investment and future development.

A recent study conducted by Energy Right Virginia found overwhelming support for landowners looking to host solar on their land. Some 91% of Virginians concurred with the statement that “landowners should be allowed to build solar projects on their land” and 83% of Virginians opposed local governments placing limits on a landowner’s ability to do so. Both statements received widespread support across demographics and political ideologies, proving what we already know: Solar is good for, and popular in, the Old Dominion.

In a modern world with swirls of misinformation, we must focus on the facts and pursue actionable items guaranteed to get our state where it needs to be. Virginia policymakers and industry leaders have the power to create a very bright future for generations to come, and that starts with working together to keep forward momentum going. By tabling a bill such as SB697, Virginia is closing itself off from a wealth of economic, workforce and environmental opportunities. And, as demonstrated by polling, doing so is out of step with public opinion on clean energy. It is my hope that this conversation doesn’t end here and that SB697, or legislation like it, becomes a priority for Virginia lawmakers in 2025. Time is only on our side for so long, and the time to act is now.