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Inside Climate News: Bills Increasing Small-Scale Solar Requirements in Virginia Awaiting Action by Youngkin

Posted by Charles Paullin on Mar 21, 2025

Inside Climate News reports that Virginia Governor Youngkin is currently reviewing critical advanced energy legislation aimed at enhancing the state's commitment to renewables by diversifying energy sources beyond large-scale utility projects. With concerns about energy affordability, United's Jim Purekal argued that rising electricity costs are primarily driven by escalating fuel prices and storm recovery expenses.

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Topics: Virginia, United In The News, Jim Purekal, Solar

The Virginia Pilot: Column - Gov. Youngkin Can Keep the Lights on and Our Costs Down

Posted by Jim Purekal on Mar 18, 2025

In a guest column piece for The Virginia Pilot, United's Jim Purekal discusses critical advanced energy legislation that has made it to Governor Youngkin's desk for final approval. Purekal highlights the benefits of these bills to balance the state's energy needs with economic considerations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a stable power supply while keeping costs low for ratepayers.

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Topics: Virginia, United In The News, Jim Purekal

Advanced Energy United Challenges Dominion Energy’s Long-Term Plan, Calls for Clean Energy Future

Posted by Savannah Gribbins on Feb 28, 2025

The Utility’s Proposal Falls Short on Clean Energy Goals, Puts Ratepayers At Risk 

RICHMOND, VA – Today, Advanced Energy United filed the testimony of our expert witness in Dominion Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan highlighting the utility’s failure to properly include all advanced energy options in its electricity supply portfolio for the next 15 years. 

“The technology exists today to serve all of Dominion’s forecasted load with clean energy resources and Dominion’s plan as filed not only misses the goals of the Virginia General Assembly’s landmark Virginia Clean Economy Act, the utility proposal is a failure for the ratepayers of Virginia who will be locked into fossil fuel plants subject to volatile natural gas prices for years to come,” said Shawn Kelly, United’s Director of Regulatory Policy for the Eastern States. 

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Topics: Regulatory, Virginia, Press Releases, Shawn Kelly

Virginia General Assembly Gives Bipartisan Green Light to Distributed Generation and Virtual Power Plant Bills

Posted by Savannah Gribbins on Feb 18, 2025

A pair of bipartisan energy bills are on their way to the Governor’s desk for signature 

RICHMOND, VA – Today the Virginia General Assembly passed two critical energy bills—S.B. 1040 and S.B. 1100—marking a major step forward in expanding clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions for the Commonwealth.

  • S.B. 1040, which passed the House unanimously (97-0), expands access to distributed generation (DG), ensuring more Virginians can benefit from local, customer-owned clean energy resources like rooftop solar. The bill also removes the size requirement for solar and wind projects to qualify for third-party power purchase agreements, making the technology more affordable to more people.
  • S.B. 1100 concerns virtual power plants (VPPs) and it requires Dominion Energy to propose a pilot program to test technologies that help manage electricity demand. The program will study how VPPs can support the power grid, especially during times of high energy use, and whether they can reduce the need for additional grid capacity.  
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Topics: State Policy, Virginia, Press Releases, Jim Purekal

Inside Climate News: Virginia Debate Over Solar Development Goals and Land Use Has Rural Lawmakers on Edge

Posted by Charles Paullin on Jan 30, 2025

Inside Climate News reports that Virginia is debating the establishment of the Virginia Energy Facility Review Board, a proposed body that would evaluate solar farm projects across the state. United's Jim Purekal spoke to the benefits of solar power and other renewable energy sources, stating that a diverse set of large-scale advanced energy projects is necessary for Virginia to meet its clean energy goals. 

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Topics: Virginia, United In The News, Jim Purekal, Solar

Virginia’s Sunny Future: Solar & Storage is the First Energy Legislation of 2025 to Advance from CEUR to General Assembly

Posted by Savannah Gribbins on Jan 6, 2025

Virginia Commission on Electric Utility Regulation gives the green light to solar siting 

RICHMOND, VA – The Commonwealth’s first energy legislation of the year successfully passed out of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (CEUR)today.The proposed legislationrefinesthe approval process for solar and battery storage projects of at least 20 MW, or 2 MW if it’slocated on previously disturbed land,andlocated within three miles of an interconnection point.The draft proposalis designed to balance the needs of local communities with Virginia’s growing demand for renewable energy, ensuring a more efficient path to cleaner, more affordable power. 

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Topics: Virginia, Press Releases, Permitting and Siting, Solar, Battery Storage

Dominion Doubles Down on Fossil Fuels in Integrated Resource Plan

Posted by Savannah Gribbins on Oct 16, 2024

Dominion Energy’s newly filed Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) sidesteps Virginia’s clean energy requirements by relying heavily on fossil fuel generation through 2039

RICHMOND, VA – Despite Virginia's ambitious clean energy mandates under the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), Dominion has proposed adding nearly 6 gigawatts of new methane gas generation, while failing to prioritize the renewable investments necessary to meet the state's goals. National business association Advanced Energy United criticized the approach. 

"Dominion Energy’s latest IRP is a step in the wrong direction. Instead of harnessing the potential of advanced energy to more reliably and cost-effectively meet Virginia’s growing energy needs and clean energy goals, this plan threatens to keep the state dependent on fossil fuels for decades,” said Shawn Kelly, a Director at Advanced Energy United. “Dominion is missing a critical opportunity to lead Virginia’s clean energy transition, protect households and businesses from rising costs, and provide more resilient clean energy solutions for all Virginians."

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Topics: Regulatory, Virginia, Press Releases

The Virginian-Pilot: Column - Why I Chose an EV, and Why Virginia Needs More of Them

Posted by Jim Purekal on Oct 16, 2024

Virginia's Clean Cars Standard will help facilitate adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across the state, reducing the risks of long-term environmental impacts. United’s Jim Purekal shares his experience with The Virginia-Pilot of purchasing an EV as a second car, and why the state should do more to work toward a cleaner future by facilitating adoption of EVs.

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Topics: Advanced Transportation, Virginia, United In The News, Electric Vehicles, Jim Purekal

Short-sighted Decisions Threaten Virginia’s Clean Energy Future

Posted by Savannah Gribbins on Sep 12, 2024

Orange County Board of Supervisors Block Solar Development and Progress on VCEA Goals

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Today, Advanced Energy United and Virginia State Senator and Chair of Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Creigh Deeds responded to Orange County’s board of supervisors' decision blocking solar project development, including a 1,000-acre Sunfish Solar installation. The decision threatens Virginia’s ability to meet its clean energy goals established by the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). 

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Topics: Virginia, Press Releases

Public News Service: Misinformation Prevents VA from Reaping Solar-Energy Benefits

Posted by Edwin J. Viera on Sep 10, 2024

Public News Service reports that Virginia's clean energy initiatives are being stunted due to wide-spread misinformation. United's Jim Purekal debunks false claims made against solar and offers alternative, reliable clean energy methods that can provide power to consumers throughout the state.

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Topics: Virginia, United In The News, Jim Purekal