News Media are Invited to Signing Event at Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows in Aldie, VA
WHO: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and staff members.
Chief Energy Officer Josephus Allmond, Secretary of Agriculture Katie Frazier, and Secretary of Natural Resources David L. Bulova.
Bill co-sponsors Sen. Russett Perry and Del. John McAuliff, bill co-authors Piedmont Environmental Council and Virginia Farm Bureau.
WHAT: Gov. Spanberger is joining The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) for a ceremony celebrating the signing of a bill (SB 508/HB 340) that officially defines the term agrivoltaics and paves the way for well crafted, well sited dual-use solar installations across Virginia. Agrivoltaics integrates solar energy into agricultural production, a concept demonstrated at PEC’s Community Farm in the first Virginia project to incorporate solar panels with crop production. The project was developed as a pilot to advance further adoption, with initial technical assistance from the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab.
This approach represents a key strategy for advancing a clean energy future and energy independence for Virginia while keeping our lands in agricultural production. The site also has full battery backup, which allows the farm to run fully on solar and battery in case the grid goes down.
The agrivoltaics definition provides a critical foundation for a future stakeholder group that will develop potential incentives to advance agrivoltaics in the Commonwealth. In addition, the definition can guide regulation of agrivoltaics in other solar policies.
During the ceremony PEC Senior Energy & Climate Advisor Ashish Kapoor will welcome guests. The two bill patrons, Del. John McAuliffe and Sen. Russett Perry, will speak. Gov. Spanberger will say a few words before signing the bills, and there will be an opportunity for photos. The ceremony is expected to take about 45 minutes.
This event is invite-only; please RSVP using this link: Agrivoltaics Ceremonial Bill Signing. Please also let me know if you plan to attend.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 9 a.m.
WHERE: PEC’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows, 39990 Howsers Branch Dr, Aldie VA 20105 (Google Maps) The Community Farm is located on approximately 40 acres within the triangle created by the traffic circles at Howsers Branch Road, Route 15 and Route 50.
WHY: Until now, Virginia has lacked an official definition of agrivoltaics. Working alongside the Virginia Farm Bureau, PEC helped Virginia develop an official definition for “agrivoltaics” that will ensure dual use solar projects take best management practices into account. . This bill, which garnered strong bipartisan support, defines agrivoltaics as solar energy development that:
- prioritizes and sustains agricultural production,
- ensures land remains in active farm use,
- allows for the continued sale of agricultural products on existing farm businesses, and
- maintains flexibility for farmers over time.
Promoting agrivoltaics accelerates the state’s transition to renewable energy while enabling energy independence at a time when electricity costs for everyday Virginians are skyrocketing.
Solar energy helps lower energy costs, and represents progress toward the goals set by the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which calls for Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power, the state’s largest utility companies, to provide 100% renewable energy by 2045 and 2050, respectively.
This bill was part of a package of bills enacted by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Spanberger that PEC either authored, informed, or advocated for, that provide practical and structural solutions to facilitate distributed energy generation and storage. Distributed energy generation is a type of energy production that occurs in small-scale sites close to where energy is used, such as rooftops and parking lots (as opposed to larger-scale power plants that send generated energy over longer distances). These are most typically purchased and installed by homeowners, farmers, and businesses. Energy storage is a type of battery system that captures and stores energy when it is plentiful and discharges it when supply is low.
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ransom, Media & PR Specialist, [email protected]; 540-347-2334 x 7029
###
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) works to protect and restore the lands and waters of the Virginia Piedmont, while building stronger, more sustainable communities. Founded in 1972, PEC is a locally based, community-supported 501(c)3 nonprofit and accredited land trust. At the core of PEC’s approach is a focus on educating, engaging and empowering people to effect positive change in their communities.
