5 surprising facts about renewable energy growth in Virginia
Virginia produces 278 times as much energy from the sun and wind as it did a decade ago. Find more clean energy facts here.
According to Renewables on the Rise 2024, the eighth edition of our annual report on the state of clean energy in America, Virginia has made substantial progress on clean energy. In 2014, Virginia generated 22 GWh of solar and had no measurable wind production. A decade later, Virginia is generating 6,119 GWh from solar and wind. This increase means that we can power an additional 565,007 households each year with clean energy.
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Here are five interesting facts about clean energy’s growth in Virginia:
1. Virginia generated more solar energy in 2023 alone than all solar generation before 2021 combined.
Virginia produced 6,072 GWh of solar energy last year, up from 22 GWh in 2014. This was enough to bring us to 9th place in the national solar rankings.
2. There was no reported battery storage capacity in Virginia until 2022, now we’re 22nd in the country.
As of 2023, Virginia has installed 0.03 gigawatts of battery storage capacity. This ranks Virginia 22nd in the country.
3. There are more than 78,694 all-electric vehicles registered in Virginia.
The number of EVs has grown 5,764% since 2014. Virginia is ranked 10th in the country in terms of EV growth in the past 10 years.
4. Virginia added 922 EV charging ports in 2023.
This was a 25% increase from 2022 and a 623% increase from 2014. Virginia now ranks 10th in the country in EV charging ports installed.
5. Virginia had no wind generation until 2021. Now we generate 47 GWh annually.
Virginia still has work to do to leverage onshore winds in Appalachia and offshore capabilities along the coast, but steps are being made to do so. Virginia is currently ranked 38th in the country in wind generation.
When we replace fossil fuels with wind turbines and solar panels, and curb wasteful uses of energy, we build a world where the planet and people can thrive.Elly Boehmer-Wilson
State Director, Environment Virginia Research & Policy Center
Our clean energy growth over the past 10 years has proven the viability and significance of these renewable energy sources. By taking advantage of the opportunities to continue these trends, Virginia can accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
What can state and local leaders do to keep renewable energy growing?
State and local governments can support renewable energy by:
- setting renewable energy goals with clear benchmarks
- leveraging federal resources to reach renewable energy goals.
- ensuring that utility policies fairly compensate the owners of renewable energy technologies
- support policies for permitting and interconnection that make adopting renewable energy technologies easier.
- expand efficiency programs, including updating energy codes for buildings and adopting the latest appliance efficiency standards.
You can help renewable energy continue to grow in Virginia by taking action below.
Topics
Authors
Elly Boehmer
State Director, Environment Virginia Research & Policy Center
A former canvass director and organizer with Impact, Elly now directs Environment Virginia's efforts to promote clean air, clean water and open spaces in Virginia. Elly lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she enjoys gardening, photography, hiking and rollerblading with her dog.
Evan Jones
Former Go Solar, Associate, Environment America Research & Policy Center
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