Clean Energy Leadership in Virginia

The State of Virginia is taking aggressive action to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy in the coming decades, pledging to get to 100% clean energy by 2050.

Apparently, some critics claim that the migration to renewables is happening too fast, but the state’s governor and his executive team disagree.  “This is a terrific day for Virginia,” said Delegate Richard C. “Rip” Sullivan, Jr. “We said this is the year to get it right. This is a historic step forward on clean energy in Virginia.”

The decision is multi-pronged, in that it establishes renewable portfolio standards and energy efficiency standards while advancing offshore wind and solar and distributed generation.

Virginia is an interesting state in that it has an extremely progressive region within about an hour’s drive from the nation’s capital, balanced out by the conservatives one expects to find in rural areas.  For this reason, bills like the one discussed here are never a sure bet.

It wasn’t long ago that Virginia’s face to the nation featured attorney general Ken Cuccinelli, a self-described opponent of homosexuality, defending anti-sodomy laws and prohibitions on same-sex marriage. Cuccinelli rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, and investigated climate scientists whom he accused of fraud.

In any case, it’s wonderful to see this great state making real progress and taking a leadership role in this all-important endeavor.