Join us Friday, March 28 from 11:00 – 11:35 am EST for our annual Virginia Energy Legislative Update webinar. We will cover several important pieces of energy legislation that were passed during the fast-paced 2025 General...more
3/19/2025
/ Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Electricity ,
Energy Costs ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Reform ,
Energy Sector ,
New Legislation ,
Power Plants ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Utilities Sector ,
Virginia ,
Webinars
After a very busy six weeks, the 2025 Virginia General Assembly adjourned sine die on February 22, 2025. This was the 406th Session of the Virginia General Assembly and was considered a “short session”....more
On February 10, 2025, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (the “Commission”) issued an Order ("Order") adopting the amended Rules Governing Shared Solar Program (20VAC5-340-10 et seq.) (the “Rules”), to be effective...more
On April 8, 2024, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed four bills into law that will expand shared (community) solar in Virginia. Some of the key details of the new legislation are as follows...more
This year’s Virginia General Assembly was a packed session with several important pieces of legislation under consideration to further Virginia’s energy transition. Register for our annual webinar where we will provide an...more
3/27/2024
/ Appeals ,
Brownfield Grants ,
Coal Mines ,
Department of Environmental Quality ,
Energy Reform ,
Energy Sector ,
General Assembly ,
Mandatory Disclosure Rules ,
Net Metering ,
New Legislation ,
Permits ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Renewable Energy ,
RGGI ,
SCC ,
Solar Energy ,
Solar Panels ,
Virginia ,
Webinars
On March 18, 2024, we issued an alert addressing Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s (VDEQ’s) recently proposed Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook, Version 1.0 (Handbook). The proposed Handbook is available...more
3/25/2024
/ Comment Period ,
Department of Environmental Quality ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Handbooks ,
New Guidance ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Solar Energy ,
Storm Water ,
Stormwater Discharge Permits ,
Utilities Sector ,
Waste Management
Siting and permitting renewable energy projects in Virginia have become increasingly challenging as federal and state environmental laws, regulations and guidance have evolved in recent years. In particular, HB 206...more
4/28/2023
/ Department of Environmental Quality ,
Easements ,
Endangered Species ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Permits ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Storm Water ,
Virginia ,
Webinars ,
Wetlands
Are you developing a solar or energy storage project in Virginia? Want to learn more about Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Permit By Rule (PBR) permitting process for small renewable (solar) energy and...more
Since the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) in 2020, the number of solar and other energy projects has grown throughout Virginia. As a result, developers are now confronting a more challenging environment in...more
4/5/2023
/ Conditional Use Permit ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Land-Use Permits ,
Local Ordinance ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Special Use Permit ,
State and Local Government ,
Virginia ,
Webinars ,
Zoning Laws
Although this year’s Virginia General Assembly was a short session, there was still a long to-do list and lots of activity involving several important pieces of proposed energy legislation...more
3/16/2023
/ Clean Energy ,
Electricity ,
Energy Reform ,
Energy Sector ,
General Assembly ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Renewable Energy ,
Renewable Portfolio Standards ,
Solar Energy ,
Utilities Sector ,
Virginia ,
Webinars
On June 6, 2022, President Biden announced a 2-year suspension of anti-dumping duties that could be levied on imported solar modules and cells from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The move is intended to accelerate...more
6/14/2022
/ Anti-Dumping Duty ,
Biden Administration ,
Countervailing Duties ,
Energy Projects ,
Executive Orders ,
Imports ,
Plastic Solar Cells ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Solar Panels ,
U.S. Commerce Department
Over the last several years, the Virginia General Assembly has passed several new laws to provide additional tools to developers when seeking local zoning approval for solar and energy storage projects in Virginia. One of...more
Understanding how solar and energy storage projects are taxed in Virginia is often confusing. Who assesses the value? What is the rate? Are any tax exemptions available? What is the revenue share?...more
4/22/2022
/ Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Local Taxes ,
Pollution Control Facilities ,
Revenue Sharing ,
Solar Energy ,
State Taxes ,
Tax Exemptions ,
Tax Legislation ,
Tax Rates ,
Virginia ,
Webinars
Conducting environmental due diligence and considering a project’s impact on the environment are essential in acquiring or permitting utility-scale solar projects in Virginia. This was underscored by the Virginia Department...more
4/11/2022
/ Department of Environmental Quality ,
Due Diligence ,
Easements ,
Endangered Species ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Site Assessment ,
New Guidance ,
Policy Memorandums ,
Purchase Agreement ,
Renewable Energy ,
Representations and Warranties ,
Solar Energy ,
Storm Water ,
Utilities Sector ,
Virginia ,
Webinars
On March 29, 2022, Michael Rolband, the director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), issued a memorandum implementing a new and much more stringent post-development stormwater management policy for...more
The Virginia General Assembly passed several important pieces of legislation affecting the solar and energy storage industry during its 2022 legislative session... join us on Thursday, March 31, from 11:00 – 11:30 am (ET) for...more
3/25/2022
/ Adverse Impact ,
Amended Legislation ,
Community Shared Solar ,
Electricity ,
Energy Contracts ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Local Taxes ,
Municipalities ,
Natural Resources ,
Net-Energy Metering ,
New Legislation ,
Photovoltaic ,
Pilot Programs ,
Power Purchase Agreements ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
Utilities Sector ,
Virginia ,
Webinars
Building on the progress from the 2020 legislative session and the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), the Virginia General Assembly passed several important pieces of legislation affecting the solar and energy...more
3/16/2021
/ Brownfield Grants ,
Brownfield Properties ,
Clean Energy ,
Coal Mines ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Environmental Policies ,
Erosion ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
New Legislation ,
Permits ,
Pilot Programs ,
Power Purchase Agreements ,
Renewable Energy ,
Revenue Sharing ,
Sediment Control ,
Solar Energy ,
Stormwater Discharge Permits ,
Tax Exemptions ,
Third-Party ,
Webinars ,
Wetlands
On December 23, 2020, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (the “Commission”) issued an Order (the “Order”) adopting Rules Governing Shared Solar Program, 20 VAC 5-340-10 et seq. (the “Rules”), effective as of January 1,...more
On September 21, 2020, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (the “Commission”) issued an Order for Notice and Comment (the “Order”) relating to proposed rules (the “Proposed Rules”) to govern development of shared solar...more
Recent Virginia legislation, effective July 1, 2020, provides solar developers with several new tools to consider when seeking land use approval for utility-scale solar projects.
The first tool, “siting agreements,”...more
On July 1, 2020, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (the “Commission”) issued an Order initiating a proceeding to establish by regulation a program affording Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion”) customers...more
On May 1, 2020, Dominion Energy (“Dominion”) released a request for proposal (“RFP”) for up to 1,000 MWs of new photovoltaic solar (or paired with energy storage), new onshore wind (or paired with energy storage), or...more
2020 was a blockbuster year in the Virginia General Assembly for clean energy legislation with the passage of several important bills, including most notably the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). The overall goal of the VCEA...more
Developing a successful solar project begins with selecting the right project site and identifying real estate issues and risks during diligence. Having well drafted real estate contracts and conducting detailed real estate...more
1/29/2020
/ Contract Negotiations ,
Contract Terms ,
Due Diligence ,
Easements ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Land Developers ,
Leases ,
Lenders ,
Property Owners ,
Purchase Agreement ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Webinars
On January 22, 2020, American Electric Power Service Corporation and Appalachian Power Company (“APCo”) released a request for proposals (the “2020 RFP”) for up to 200 MW of solar generation facilities in Virginia. The 2020...more