DEPLOYING LARGE-SCALE SOLAR WHILE PROTECTING NATURAL RESOURCES
Emma Clancy // Southern Environmental Law Center // eclancy@selc.org
Patrick Fanning // Chesapeake Bay Foundation // PFanning@cbf.org
Victoria Higgins // Chesapeake Climate Action Network // vhiggins@chesapeakeclimate.org
Ashish Kapoor // Piedmont Environmental Council // akapoor@pecva.org
Why It Matters
Utility-scale solar is a key piece of Virginia’s transition to a clean energy future. Utility-scale solar is the cheapest form of new generation available,1 and its environmental impacts pale in comparison to the fossil fuels we are transitioning away from. While distributed energy resources (DERs) play an important role in decarbonization, demand management, and grid resiliency (see Rooftop Solar & Distributed Generation), Virginia will not be able to meet our energy needs with these sources alone.2
Utility-scale solar projects will play a critical role in Virginia. On average, in Virginia, utility-scale solar requires less than 7 acres per megawatt of electricity produced, with the average site in Virginia being 47 MW.3 Most utility-scale solar projects are being constructed in rural communities where such projects are often the most significant land use change to have occurred in such communities. These rural localities often have little experience permitting large construction projects, with some of these localities lacking an established solar ordinance. Having protections in place can help avoid impacts to Virginia’s natural resources and minimize such impacts where they cannot be avoided.
Current Landscape
The Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) requires Dominion Energy to propose 16,100 MW of solar by the end of 2035, and Appalachian Power must propose 600 MW of solar by the end of 2030 (see CHARTING VIRGINIA’S CLEAN ENERGY PATH)4. The nearest term targets are a total of 6000 MW for Dominion and 400 MW for Appalachian Power by December 31, 2027,5 requirements that both utilities appear to be poised to meet.6
Including solar approved prior to the passage of the VCEA, counties have already approved nearly 17,000 MWs statewide, a significant figure.7 However, given explosive load growth, utilities are planning for far more solar in order to meet decarbonization mandates; for example, ApCo projects an intention to acquire up to 3603 MW of solar by 2044, over 500% of the VCEA petition target.8
Over half of these projects have yet to commence construction and some may fail to come to fruition due to financing or interconnection issues.9 In some cases, misinformation has given rise to local resistance to utility-scale solar projects. Likewise, inadequate construction practices at some projects have caused negative environmental impacts. Legislation from the 2026 General Assembly seeks to address these challenges by standardizing solar project parameters at the local level, including allowable ranges for setbacks and buffers, while preserving local authority to deny or approve individual projects.10
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently finalized regulations to incentivize avoiding siting utility solar on our highest-value ecological forest cores while also providing a flexible mitigation process where such siting is unavoidable.11
Opportunities
Many localities receiving solar project applications do not have the resources necessary to appropriately review, monitor, and regulate projects. Especially as all localities are now required to consider applications for utility-scale solar projects that meet outlined criteria in light of 2026 legislation,12 state-supported technical assistance could provide localities with the tools they need.
Agrivoltaics, or projects that combine solar and agricultural production, is an area ripe for growth. As many utility-scale projects will be sited on agricultural lands, incentivizing dual-use can connect clean energy while continuing to contribute to the local agricultural economy. The earlier mentioned DEQ regulations allow for a decrease in mitigation requirements for dual use practices and recent legislation created a definition for agrivoltaics.13 A subsequent workgroup will inform incentives for projects that conform to this definition.
The Governor’s Energy Plan is due in October of their first term, and amended two years later. The Energy Plan process should involve significant community input and align with state requirements, including clean energy procurement and decarbonization of the electric grid. Policymakers, as well as individual Virginians and organizations, can engage with the Energy Plan process to ensure that it meets the needs of communities housing energy infrastructure.
Between the updated VCEA goals and the Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program (Brightfields Program), Virginia’s law has structures to incentivize the development of utility-scale solar on brownfields, previous coal mines, landfills, and parking lots. Virginia could continue to incentivize projects in these locations to the maximum extent possible and fund the Brightfields program to minimize impacts to natural resources from energy buildout.
Resource modeling conducted by intervenors in Dominion’s recent Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) proceeding found that the benefits of utility scale solar can be maximized through complementary investments in battery storage, thereby significantly reducing land use requirements, as compared to the portfolios that allowed less storage to be built. These findings underscore the efficiencies—in terms of land use and cost—that can be gained by adding storage to complement existing solar.14
Top Takeaways
Utility-scale solar will be a key component of meeting Virginia’s energy needs. Its value is maximized and impacts minimized through complementary investment in battery storage.
To build environmentally responsible projects, developers can use practices that minimize grading, tree removal, and impacts on topsoil. Agrivoltaics can be encouraged and incentivized as an effective dual use of land and preserve future viability.
Incentivizing projects on the built environment would help mitigate pressures on natural resources. The allocation of renewable energy on “previously disturbed project sites” in the VCEA could be increased and funding for the Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program to speed the development of these projects.
End Notes
1 Levelized Cost of Energy. (2026, July). Lazard. https://www.lazard.com/media/kcfconhf/lazards-lcoeplus_vf.pdf
2 Rhodes, J.D., and Laws, N.D.. (2025). Alternative modeling scenarios and other considerations for Virginia Electric and Power Company’s 2024 Integrated Resource Plan. IdeaSmiths. https://www.selc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Final-IdeaSmiths-Report-2024-DOM-IRP.pdf
3 Pitt, Damian, Aaron Berryhill, and Jennifer Ciminelli. p. 5, 12. 2024. “RE-Evaluating the LAND USE Impacts of Utility- Scale Solar Energy Development in Virginia.” https://energy.virginia.gov/renewable-energy/documents/Re-Evaluating%20Land%20Use%20Impacts%20of%20Utility-Scale%20Solar%20-%20FINAL.pdf
4 Electric utility regulation, HB 1526, VA General Assembly Reg. Sess. (2020). https://legacylis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB1526
5 VA General Assembly Reg. Sess. (2020), Ch. 1193 https://legacylis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+CHAP1193
6 Petition of Virginia Electric and Power Company, For approval of its 2025 RPS Development Plan under § 56-585.5 D 4 of the Code of Virginia and related requests Case No. PUR-2025-00148. (2025, October 15). McGuire Woods. https://www.scc.virginia.gov/docketsearch/DOCS/88nc01!.PDF
7 Virginia Solar Dashboard. (n.d.). University of Virginia. https://solardatabase.coopercenter.org/solar/
8 Status Report: Implementation of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act Pursuant to §§ 56-596 B and 30-205 of the Code of Virginia, RD 716. (2025, October 31). https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2025/RD716
9 State Overview – Virginia. (2026, June). Solar Energy Industries Association. https://seia.org/state-solar-policy/virginia-solar/
10 Solar facilities; local regulation, permits, special exceptions. SB 347, VA General Assembly Reg. Sess. (2026). https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB347/text/CHAP1005
11 Small Renewable Energy Projects (Solar) Permit by Rule. 9VAC15-60. (2025). https://register.dls.virginia.gov/details.aspx?id=11648
12 Solar facilities; local regulation, permits, special exceptions. SB 347, VA General Assembly Reg. Sess. (2026). https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB347/text/CHAP1005
13 Agrivoltaics Definition, VA Acts of Assembly. Ch. 156. (2026). https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216805.PDF
14 Summary of Direct Testimony of Nicholas D. Laws, PHD on Behalf of Appalachian Voices – In re: Virginia Electric and Power Company’s 2024 Integrated Resource Plan filing Pursuant to VA. Code section 67-597 et seq. (2025, February 28). Commonwealth of Virginia, ex rel. State Corporation Commission. https://www.scc.virginia.gov/docketsearch/DOCS/865b01!.PDF