Virginia
Data centers
Virginia’s new energy plan: Make the AI boom work for — not against — us
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s just-released blueprint doubles down on the state’s landmark climate law while aiming to solve the data center growth problem.
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Fossil fuels
Virginia kept its climate law. Dominion sees a loophole.
To power data centers, the state's largest utility is proposing a massive 3-gigawatt gas plant that tests the limits of the Virginia Clean Economy Act.By Elizabeth Ouzts .
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Solar
A Virginia school district pioneers solar and battery microgrids
Roanoke City Public Schools is building the state’s first solar-plus-storage systems to keep emergency shelters going during extreme weather and cut down on costs.By Elizabeth Ouzts .
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Solar
Virginia to cut rooftop solar costs with nation-first bulk-buy program
Teaming up to buy solar can get residents deep discounts. Virginia is the first to try a statewide campaign as utility bills rise and data centers stress the grid.By Elizabeth Ouzts .
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Food and farms
Virginia lays groundwork to combine more solar with farming
A new state law aims to spur agrivoltaics projects where crops or livestock thrive amid solar panels, as AI power demand booms and concerns about farmland loss rise.By Elizabeth Ouzts .
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Data centers
Virginia slaps data centers with big new tax — but no climate rules
The state’s Democratic trifecta couldn’t agree on clean energy or air-quality reforms in time for the budget, which passed this week after months of negotiation.By Elizabeth Ouzts .
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Solar
Thanks to two new laws, more Virginians can save with community solar
The legislation expands subscription-based solar farms from 250 to 875 megawatts and is the product of the state’s “new affordability politics."By Elizabeth Ouzts .
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Utilities
NextEra Energy wants to buy its way into Data Center Alley
The utility’s proposed merger with Dominion Energy would connect it with data center-rich Virginia. Consumer and clean energy advocates are wary.By Kathryn Krawczyk .
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Emissions reduction
Can a carbon price lower power bills? Virginia is betting yes.
With power demand from data centers skyrocketing, the state is rejoining a regional climate initiative.By Jake Bittle .
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Batteries
For cheaper power, Virginia’s local utilities build small grid batteries
Rural co-ops and a city utility will save big with a collection of 5-MW batteries, which are easier to site and faster to get up and running than megaprojects.By Elizabeth Ouzts .
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Solar
Virginia’s new law blocks counties from banning solar
Two-thirds of the state’s counties ban or heavily limit solar. Now, those blanket restrictions are going away, though counties can still bar individual projects.By Elizabeth Ouzts .
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