Warner and Kaine announce funding for solar energy

Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced over $156 million in federal funding to help low-income and disadvantaged communities in Virginia more easily access solar energy.

The funding was awarded to the Virginia Department of Energy and will be used to eliminate barriers to solar development like:

  • reducing upfront costs
  • broaden access to leasing and power purchase agreements
  • additional access to financing

This will help lower energy costs for families while creating jobs and tackling the effects of climate change.

The funds are part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All program through the Inflation Reduction Act which supports solar projects like this as well as investments in home energy repairs and lowering the cost of energy efficient appliances.

The Commonwealth has taken recent strides in expanding clean energy including the groundbreaking of the largest clean energy project at a U.S. airport in August which will support 37,000 homes and businesses in Northern Virginia.

To view the full announcement, click here.

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Youngkin accepting ideas for next energy plan

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the Virginia Department of Energy and his administration are accepting ideas and comments on the Commonwealth’s next energy plan.

Governor Young said he will have seven guiding principles to selecting a plan for his “all of the above” approach.

Those principles include affordability, reliability, capacity, competition, environmental stewardship, choice, and innovation.

A webinar will be held August 24th at 2 pm.

Participants may register online now.

Comments will be accepted through September 16th through the Virginia Town Hall, a stakeholder survey or emailing energyplan@energy.virginia.gov.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Low flying aircraft expected in region

Low flying planes and helicopters will be flying over portions of Frederick and Clarke Counties through December.

The Virginia Department of Energy is aiding the U.S. Geological Survey in their national effort to modernize geographical maps, topographical surveys, and geochemical sampling.

This will be the area’s first high resolution public survey in 45 years.

No pictures or videos will be taken with the equipment.

Experienced pilots were contracted to fly as low as 300 feet to use instruments that will help scientists evaluate natural resources or potential hazards.

The pilots will operate out of Cumberland, Maryland.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.