Celebrating the progress Virginia has made, and reaffirming our commitment to ensuring the full promise of the VCEA is realized in the years ahead
RICHMOND, VA – Today marks the five-year anniversary of the landmark Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), the historic legislation that set the Commonwealth on a path toward 100% clean energy.
“The VCEA was a turning point for Virginia’s economy,” said Jim Purekal, Director at Advanced Energy United. “Five years ago, United helped rally a diverse coalition of energy innovators, business voices, and environmental advocates to support this legislation. Because everyone knew clean energy was the smartest investment the Commonwealth could make in its future. Today, we’re seeing the benefits: new jobs and new industries, all here in Virginia.”
“The VCEA was a turning point for Virginia’s economy,” said Jim Purekal, Director at Advanced Energy United. “Five years ago, United helped rally a diverse coalition of energy innovators, business voices, and environmental advocates to support this legislation. Because everyone knew clean energy was the smartest investment the Commonwealth could make in its future. Today, we’re seeing the benefits: new jobs and new industries, all here in Virginia.”
Passed in 2020, the VCEA made Virginia the first Southern state to commit to a 100% clean energy standard. It created binding targets for clean energy development, including requirements for utilities to phase out fossil fuel generation, invest in solar and wind power, and modernize the electric grid.
The economic benefits of the law are undeniable:
The economic benefits of the law are undeniable:
- Virginia’s GDP has grown by 11% since the VCEA’s passage.
- Dominion Energy’s latest Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) plan projects $118.5 billion in fuel cost savings over the lifespan of VCEA clean economy project investments.
- 118,100 new clean energy jobs in Virginia.
“Clean energy isn’t just an environmental solution—it’s an economic strategy,” said Purekal. “And it’s working. From the Volvo Trucks facility in Pulaski County to the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project in Virginia Beach, we see clean energy powering job growth across sectors. That’s the kind of transformation the VCEA was designed to drive.”
“The job is not done,” Purekal added. “We’re proud of how far Virginia has come, but we’re also focused on what comes next: connecting clean resources to the grid faster, protecting affordability for families, and ensuring the benefits of the transition are shared statewide.”
As the Commonwealth marks this important milestone, Advanced Energy United celebrates the VCEA not just as a legislative win, but as an enduring framework for progress—proof that ambitious policy, done right, can unlock real results.