Legislation represents progress towards goals set by the Virginia Clean Economy Act
Warrenton, VA. (April 16, 2026) – The Piedmont Environmental Council is delighted to announce that 12 solution-oriented energy bills that PEC either authored, informed, or advocated for have been adopted into Virginia law – or await approval of minor amendments. These bills focus on shaping and advancing a clean energy future and energy independence for Virginia.
“I’m proud to say that PEC experts supported the drafting and passage of a dozen successful legislative proposals to accelerate the state’s transition to renewable energy while enabling energy independence,” said PEC President Chris Miller. “This is a major win for us and for our partners, including the Southern Environmental Law Center, Virginia Conservation Network, Virginia League of Conservation Voters, Solar United Neighbors, Permit Power, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Advanced Energy United. This is the outcome of many years of effort and broad, bipartisan support throughout both the House and Senate.”
Garnering strong bipartisan support, the bills include practical and structural solutions to facilitate distributed generation and storage. Distributed generation is a type of energy production that occurs in small-scale sites close to where the 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.
“This legislation is incredibly important, as the Commonwealth of Virginia stands at a pivotal moment in its energy transition,” said PEC Senior Energy and Climate Advisor Ashish Kapoor. “Despite rapidly escalating energy demand and skyrocketing energy bills, we’re now making durable, consensus-driven 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.”
Agrivoltaics Definition Created; Workgroup Proposed [SB 340/ HB 508] (Sen. Russett Perry/Del. John McAuliff)
On April 6, Governor Spanberger signed a bill that officially defines the term agrivoltaics. An effort of PEC and the Virginia Farm Bureau, with patrons Del. John Chilton McAuliff and Sen. Russett Perry carrying the bill, this legislation 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.
“A strong definition is critical,“ said Ashish Kapoor, “as it ensures farmers are in the driver’s seat when it comes to agrivoltaics. This increases the chance of successful, well developed agrivoltaics projects and provides a key jumping off point for future dual use policy which will be discussed in the pending agrivoltaics stakeholder group.”
Agrivoltaics enables farmers to gain energy independence, protects farms from rising utility bills, and provides a potential revenue stream for farmers, while keeping land in production and creating clean energy.
Five bills comprise the Affordable Clean Energy Package:
- Distributed Generation Expansion Act [SB 175/HB 628] (Sen. Schuyler T. VanValkenburg/Del. Katrina Callsen) Signed by Gov. Spanberger on 4/13/26.
This legislation is a tremendous victory for the future of distributed generation in the Commonwealth. It increases the amount of energy Dominion Energy must generate annually using distributed generation by nearly five-fold and requires that Dominion Energy build one gigawatt (GW) of solar power on previously disturbed sites, including parking lots, coalfields, landfills and brownfields in Virginia by 2035 (brownfields are former industrial or commercial sites where future use is affected by possible environmental contamination). According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, 1GW of solar can power over 175,000 homes. Installing this energy generation on previously developed sites saves around 10,000 acres of agricultural and forested land from energy development.
- Energy Storage Expansion; Model Ordinance [SB 448/HB 895] (Del. Richard C. “Rip” Sullivan, Jr./Sen. Lamont Bagby) Signed by Gov. Spanberger on 4/13/26.
This legislation substantially increases the amount of storage Dominion Energy is required to build by 2045 for Virginia. Overall build requirements for short duration storage, which typically holds 2-4 hours worth of energy to support the grid, will increase to 16 GW by 2045 (the previous goal was only 2.6GW). The law also now requires that 4 GW of long duration storage, which can hold energy for over 10 hours, be built by 2045. The bill includes a PEC-driven initiative that will establish a workgroup to develop best practices and a guiding model ordinance to empower localities to build better projects. These increases in storage will reduce the need for future transmission and generation projects on our lands by making our existing generation capacity more efficient.
- Smart Permitting (SolarApp+) [SB 382/HB 590] (Sen. Scott A. Surovell/ Del. Phil M. Hernandez): Signed by Gov. Spanberger on 4/13/26.
This legislation creates a tool, to be managed by the Virginia Department of Energy, that will streamline the rooftop solar permit approval process, saving counties and consumers time, resources and money.
- Balcony Solar (SB 250/HB 395) (Sen. Scott Surovell/ Del. Paul Krizek): Approval pending minor amendments.
This legislation facilitates the installation of small, plug-in solar panels in Virginia, while maintaining national safety standards. Plug-in solar panels, which connect to a standard power outlet, provide a simple, reliable way for consumers to save money by generating their own electricity. A micro-inverter converts the solar energy to AC power and feeds electricity into the home’s circuit. Small scale plug-in systems can be installed on a balcony, in a front or backyard, or on a roof. Ranging from 200–1,600 watts in output, plug-in systems provide enough electricity to power a small air conditioner.
- Consumer Protections – Residential Solar Sales Act (SB 823/HB 1439) (Sen. Lamont Bagby/ Del. Irene Shin): Signed by Gov. Spanberger on 4/13/26.
Protecting homeowners from predatory practices by solar companies, this legislation requires a consumer disclosure form that outlines the specifications, costs and financing options before residential solar contracts are signed. Violating companies will face civil penalties.
Distributed Energy Resources Task Force (SB 223/ HB 285) (Schuyler T. VanValkenburg/Dan Helmer) Approval pending minor amendments.
This bipartisan compromise establishes an advisory commission within the Department of Energy that will be responsible for creating a comprehensive strategy to advance the Commonwealth’s transition toward integrated distributed energy resource markets.
Shared Solar Expansion (SB 254/HB 807 and SB 255/HB 809) (Sen. Scott Surovell/ Del. Richard C. “Rip” Sullivan): Signed by Governor Spanberger on 4/13/26.
This legislation increases shared solar capacity – and increases the ability for multiple households to benefit from smaller single solar installations – adding 50 MW in Appalachian Power Company (Phase I) and 525 MW Dominion Energy (Phase II) territories.
Virtual Power Plants in Appalachian Power Company and in eclectic cooperatives (SB 487/HB 562 and HB 1467) (Sen. Jeremy McPike/Del. David Reid and Del. Lily Franklin): Both bills were signed by Gov. Spanberger on 4/13/26.
SB 487/HB 562 empowers all energy generated or stored by batteries, heat pumps, thermostats, electric vehicles, etc., to be fed to electric cooperative companies, which are then able to act as “virtual power plants.” The electric cooperative can then use that energy to supply its other customers. Underthis legislation, an electric cooperative may initiate and implement a virtual power plant and offer incentives to residential customers to purchase battery storage devices. The co-op is required to evaluate various methods to optimize demand. HB1467 creates a pilot for virtual power plants in the Appalachian Power Company.
Parking Lot Solar (SB 26/HB 1234) (Sen. Jennifer Foy/Del. Briana Sewell): Signed by Gov. Spanberger on 4/13/26.
Empowers localities to require that solar canopies be created over nonresidential parking lot developments with 100+ contiguous parking spaces, with some exemptions.
Contact: Elizabeth Ransom, Media & PR Specialist, [email protected], 540-347-2334 x7029
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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.