Virginia News

06/02/2009

The Commonwealth of Virginia submitted its application to the US Department of Energy for funds allocated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Virginia proposes to spend $70 million in State Energy Program funds in three program areas administered by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. $32.12 million will be distributed as grants or rebate incentives to stimulate purchases of renewable energy systems for residences, businesses and government facilities.

To learn more about DMME’s proposal visit our Virginia incentives page or the DMME website.

The Energy bill passed this year contains a grant program. However, there is no funding appropriated for the startup year. Attempts to reach Governor Kaine in order to place the $300,000 in the grant program have not been successful so far. However, the Virginia budget is still not finalized so there is a chance we will get funding.

In VA, solar energy is part of a complex energy bill. In SB-232, Sen.Wagner has proposed a broad energy plan that includes siting of nuclear plants and LNG terminals, credits for procurement of clean energy technologies (including clean coal technology), and a small production incentive. This bill has made considerable progress through the legislature.

MDV-SEIA attended the first meeting of the Commission on Electric Utility restructuring on Jan 6th in Richmond. MDV-SEIA has been an active member of a VA-RPS coalition (with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the Clean Energy Partnership). We are working to ensure that any RPS bill passed in VA will have a solar carve-out and that it will include solar water heating. The coalition’s work resulted in a bill that was submitted 2005-2006 session. However, utility resistance, combined with the shortness of the remaining time, required that the bill be held over to the next session. We have continued to work with the coalition to be ready for the 2006-2007 session.

Mitch King, deserves special recognition for being the key champion for the association’s position for four years. This year, his efforts to expand the VA net metering law to systems that are leased or third party owned will finally become law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Wagner Energy Plan that includes tax credits for 20% PV capped at $2000 and Solar Water heating capped at $1,000 failed to pass this session and we will try again in the next session.