When legislators passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, it set lofty goals for carbon-free power generation across the Commonwealth. And while localities line up to take tax revenue from power-hungry data centers, they’ve been less willing to approve clean energy projects.
Elected officials and stakeholders recently debated the future of solar power projects in Virginia, mainly the ability of localities to deny such projects. Thanks to laws passed in 2020, the state is trying to reach carbon-free energy production by 2050, but local efforts to ban clean energy projects are threatening that goal.
“We have localities in the state that have approved data centers while banning solar. That kind of behavior is not sustainable in any way,” Senate Majority leader Scott Surovell told Radio IQ after the meeting of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation.
The idea floated during the meeting involved a new advisory board and appeals process under the State Corporation Commission, which could have a final say in denied solar projects.
Jay Ford is with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. He supports the Virginia Clean Economy Act, or VCEA, but warned against complicating the role of localities in the solar approval process.
“We want to be more invested in the VCEA process and have a say about what our regional contribution to energy goals will look like,” Ford told the committee.
And folks like Senator Mark Obenshain agreed.
“I’m troubled by looking at the passage of legislation that’s going to have a dramatic effect on, and potentially change the character of rural Virginia,” the Roanoke-area Republican said.
Discussions on the issue are ongoing. Legislation could be on the horizon for 2025, but officials with the Youngkin administration didn’t provide any insight into the governor’s feelings on the issue.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
