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Transmitting news and infomation about sustainable endeavors in Coastal Virginia and beyond. Updated Weekly.

Renewable Energy:

Policy/Programs | Wind | Solar | Marine/Hydro | Grid/Storage | Bio & More | All

Follow the above links to view a selection of news updates by category. The embedded PDFs below provide a look at recent news on a regional and broader scale. For the latest news and access to the entire collection, go to Pinterest.

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Big Tobacco is Going Solar

3.18.15 - The 2.45 MW Philip Morris USA solar project is part of Dominion Virginia Power's Solar Partnership Program where Dominion leases space at commercial, industrial or public facilities for the installation of solar panels. The utility company said it is now installing about 8,000 ground-mounted solar panels on the property of tobacco company Philip Morris USA's Park 500 plant on Bermuda Hundred Road in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Source: Dom.com

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Solar Panel Manufacturer Coming to Virginia

3.16.15 - Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced today that 510nano, a developer of renewable energy projects and technologies, will invest $11 million to relocate its headquarters and establish a manufacturing operation in Greensville County. The company will construct a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility for the production of solar panels in Greensville County Industrial Park. The project will create 113 new jobs. More Info

Pictured above is the February 13 Graduating Class of Marines and Sailors of DOE's Reach for the Sun program - Image: SEI

Sunny Days Ahead for Transitioning Vets

2.17.15 - 20 marines just graduated from the first DoD solar training program offered to services members that will soon be transitioning into civilian employment. The "Reach for the Sun" program funded by the Department of Energy's Sunshot Initiative provided free training to applicants at Camp Pendleton in California. The program will also be replicated at Norfolk Naval Station and Fort Carson in Colorado.

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VA Governor Praises Dominion's Solar Plan: 400 MW Coming to the Commonwealth

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2014 Post - Alternative Power Prospects Brighten in Virginia

2.5.15 - On the heels of announcing a major 20 MW project in the Commonwealth, highlighted below, Dominion has committed to building 400 MW of solar generating capacity in the state. All projects will be built in Virginia with the involvement of Virginia-based companies and are expected to be operational by 2020. Together, these solar facilities are anticipated to be capable of generating enough electricity at peak capacity to power 100,000 homes.

"If we are going to build a new Virginia economy, we must be leaders in the energy economy of the future," said Gov. Terry McAuliffe. "Dominion has shown a strong commitment to solar energy development, and I am proud to work with them to expand renewable generation in Virginia and diversify the Commonwealth's fuel mix."

 To get a grasp of the size of the project, check out this youtube of Apple's 20 MW plant in Maiden, NC.

1.20.15 - Dominion Plans its First Utility Scale Solar Project in the Commonwealth

In the last couple of years Dominion has purchased large solar arrays in several states while promoting smaller commercial projects within Virginia. It is long-awaited news that today the company filed an SCC application for a 20 MW array in Fauquier County, VA. The Remington Solar Facility will consist of 9,000 panels and cover 125 acres of company land at the Remington Power Station.

According to company chairman and chief executive officer, Thomas F. Farrell II, "renewable energy will play an increasingly important role in Virginia's future." Completion of the farm is expected by October 2016. Read More.

1.14.15 - Noteworthy Solar Bills Offered in the 2015 Virginia General Assembly

HB 1725 - Calls for the establishment of the Virginia Solar Energy Development Authority to "facilitate, coordinate, and support the development of the solar in the Commonwealth."

HB 1729 - Permits development of community Solar Gardens allowing subscribers to accumulate credit on their utility bills from energy generated.

HB 1297 - Classifies renewable energy machinery and tools as a separate class of property for tax rate purposes and directs localities to impose a lower tax rate on that property.

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Offshore Energy by the Numbers

1.14.15 - Oceana, an international ocean advocacy group released a new study reporting that "Offshore wind has the potential to create 1.5 times as many jobs in Virginia as offshore drilling." And unlike gas deposits, wind will continue to supply energy long into the future.

Press Release

Virginia Fact Sheet

Full Report

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Buoy sited off the Virginia Coast will use lasers to measure wind speeds at high altitudes

Demonstration turbines planned for deployment in federal waters during 2017 will capture winds up to 600 feet above the sea surface. The buoy pictured, now moored approximately 23 miles from shore, is equipped with lasers to assess winds speeds at different altitudes. The information gathered over the next year is crucial for assessing the potential for large scale wind development and will provide data helpful to personnel involved in the deployment of the twin 6 MW test turbines. Learn more about the demonstration project. Read more about the Buoy.

Image: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

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Virginia Offshore Wind Demonstration Project

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the proposed Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Advancement Project. BOEM will hold an informational meeting Wednesday, December 17, 2014, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Boulevard, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451.

Read more about the project.

CBF_Brock_Env_CtrLarger View

Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Brock Environmental Center is Energy Independent

Located on the Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach, the Hampton Roads HQ for CBF is set to open in Jan. 2015. Powered by a 38.8 kW rooftop solar array and two 10 kW wind turbines, it is expected to produce more energy than is consumed on an annual basis. Excess energy will be exported to the grid.

More Info

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Dominion North Carolina Power Dedicates MicroGrid Research Project on July 25

The MicroGrid Research Project enables the Kitty Hawk regional office to generate some of its own on-site renewable energy.

With a battery backup system, the facility will be powered by four wind turbines capable of generating 13 kilowatts of electricity and a ground-mounted solar array that will generate an additional 6 kilowatts

odu_solar_dominion_imageImage: Dominion

Large Solar Array Dedication at Old Dominion University - Tuesday, July 8

7.7.14 - The 132 kW system going online tomorrow didn't cost the school a penny. Installed under Dominion's new "Solar Partnership" program, which involves a long term lease arrangement, the school will earn income by renting the recreation center rooftop. The system, including all the energy produced, is owned and maintained by Dominion. This is the second completed project in a program aiming for 30 MW of generation capacity. The company is looking to develop more Virginia rooftops. A quality roof with ample space and proximity to Dominion infrastructure is required. For more information on the project, see the Solar Partnership program website.

Transforming Retired Landfills and Hazardous Sites

Landfill and superfund sites are being repurposed to produce clean energy. Read more about the Virginia Veterans Administration array in the Winter edition and more in the Waste as a Resource post in the Features section.

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Largest rooftop solar array in Virginia completed at the Canon facility in Gloucester

Read more about the project and alternative energy in Virginia at TidewaterCurrent.com

Post on the 2013 Hampton Roads Solar Home Tour, which featured Zenman Energy of Norfolk. The non-profit is developing an affordable and scalable solar concentrating steam generator to provide low cost electricity.

 

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VA SUN is a citizens network of solar supporters in Virginia and supports a community listserve open to any individual or business interested in supporting solar in the state.

The listserve includes people who have gone solar, want to go solar, and people who work on solar installations or solar policy. It is not a place for polemical arguments nor advertising, but a place for practical advice on how to go solar. It's also a way to keep track of local developments around solar, including pending laws, incentives, and changes in policy.

To join the listserve, visit: http://bitly.com/VA_SUN_SignUp

 

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