A transition to renewable energy is imperative for our planet, and the good news is that Virginia has taken a major step in that direction with the ambitious Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) passed in 2020. The VCEA requires that Dominion Energy build 16.1 gigawatts (GW) of solar and wind energy in the public interest by 2035 and operate with 100% renewable energy by 2045. Recent studies by the University of Virginia tell us we are well on our way. However, a history of poorly designed solar projects in Virginia have made it clear that utility-scale solar can have significant hidden costs if not done well.
Regional, State and National
PEC joins with partner organizations to promote thriving communities and healthy natural resources in the Shenandoah Valley, the central Piedmont, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground corridor and Northern Virginia counties.
General Assembly Snapshot: 2025
The General Assembly convenes on Jan. 8 for a planned “short session” that runs through Feb. 22. PEC has co-authored several white papers that form the framework of the Virginia Conservation Network’s legislative priorities.
Video: Virginia’s Parks and Battlefields are at Risk
Virginia’s state and national parks, battlefields, and other historic and recreational sites are under threat from uncontrolled data center development. One notable example is Wilderness Battlefield, in Orange County, which was named one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2024 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Virginia Conservation Network’s Our 2025 Common Agenda Environmental Briefing Book
Our Common Agenda is your road map for state-based, pragmatic, policy solutions to address the environmental problems facing Virginia.
Dominion Energy Integrated Resource Plan projects historic rate increases for Virginia ratepayers while subsidizing the world’s wealthiest companies
The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) filed by Dominion
Energy with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (“SCC”) this week projects a more than 100
percent increase in electricity usage in the next 15 years, primarily driven by the explosive and
uncontrolled growth of data centers.
Call for State Action on Data Centers Gets Louder
During the 2024 General Assembly session, Virginia legislators failed to take action to address the concerns raised by residents and environmental groups about the proliferation of data centers.
Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative offers financial incentives for delayed haying and summer pasture stockpiling
Now through Nov 15, the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative (VGBI) is accepting applications from producers in 16 counties across the northern Virginia Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Shenandoah Valley, who are interested in financial incentives for protecting nesting grassland birds during the 2025 haying season.
Sept. 5 in Leesburg: Public Hearing on Proposed Aspen-Golden Transmission Line
There is a critical chance to weigh in on the proposed “Aspen to Golden” electric transmission line through Loudoun County at the upcoming State Corporation Commission (SCC) public hearing on Sept. 5 in Leesburg.
In the Driver’s Seat on Parking Lot Solar
Since Virginia is still at the beginning of its energy transition, now is the perfect time to rebuild our energy system in a way that is just and fair to all Virginia residents and ratepayers. Toward that end, PEC has taken the lead in aggressively exploring the viability of parking lot solar in Virginia.
Action Needed: New transmission line designation threatens Virginia communities
Tell the U.S. Department of Energy that fueling skyrocketing data center energy demand with coal-fired power plants is not an acceptable solution.