Virginia Governor Northam Signs Legislation Pushing State to 100% Renewable Energy by 2050

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has signed the Virginia Clean Economy Act, pushing the state’s “electricity to come from 100 percent renewable sources such as solar or wind” by 2050.

“By December 31, 2024”, the act also requires that power companies “retire all generating units principally fueled by oil with a rated capacity in excess of 500 megawatts and all coal-fired electric generating units operating in the Commonwealth.”

Currently, 1% of Virginia’s electricity comes from solar.

A recent report estimated that renewable energy now “constitutes 11% of total electric power generation in the United States”.