Virginia looks set to become a hotbed for solar farm development in the near future, thanks to the recent reform of its regulatory process for such projects. With solar farms growing in popularity across the entire United States, the Virginia approach to regulation and permitting could be a big draw for solar developers from all around the country.
The transparent nature of the regulatory process surrounding solar farms in Virginia, brought about by the recent reforms, has garnered huge interest from prospective solar developers. Since 2015, a total of 62 notices of intent to build have been filed for solar projects in Virginia. From this number, 36 permits have been approved by the Virginia Department of Environmental Equality, authorizing project construction for developers.
The majority of these 36 approved projects find themselves sited in the more rural counties of the state of Virginia. This makes sense with regards to the nature of a large solar project like a solar farm, as more rural sites tend to have an abundance of open land, as well as generally lower real estate prices in comparison to urban spaces.
This growing popularity brought about by transparent regulatory processes in Virginia dates back to the state’s comprehensive energy bill, known as the Grid Transformation and Security Act. This comprehensive bill was enacted back in July of 2018 and is geared toward the expansion of both solar and wind energy across the state, leading to the growth of solar in the years since.
The Grid Transformation and Security Act followed on from another ruling back in 2009 that ordered the Department of Environmental Quality to develop a more transparent regulatory process for the permitting of solar energy projects, as well as other renewable energy projects like wind turbines. In addition, Governor Ralph Northam has signed an executive order stating that 100% of Virginia’s energy should come from carbon-free sources by the year 2050, prompting even more interest from solar developers keen on building solar farms.
As noted, rural areas are the most popular destinations for potential developers and the new regulatory processes place the authority in the hands of local officials in these rural areas. This gives more power to the local officials in those areas that will actually house the solar farms, making the entire process more transparent for solar developers and locals alike. With interest from countless solar developers and better regulatory processes all round, it looks like Virginia is set for a bright solar future.
If you’re a landowner interested in developing a solar farm, contact YSG Solar today at 212.389.9215 to learn how.
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By Shane Croghan
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