Virginia
With a Republican governor and a divided legislature, Virginia faces challenges passing climate policy, despite making progress on climate action in recent years.
Key Resources
Virginia State Energy Profile — U.S. EIA
Virginia Climate Change Portal – Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Virginia Legal Profile — Lawyers for Good Government
Virginia Energy Policy Simulator — Energy Innovation and RMI
Virginia EJ Mapping Tool — Mapping for Environmental Justice
Emissions Reduction Targets
By 2045:
Net Zero
2019 GHG Emissions By Sector (%)
- Commercial
- Electric
- Residential
- Industrial
- Transportation
- Agriculture
Source: EPA State Inventory Tool (SIT)
Use the + icons in each policy area below to explore climate policy that has been passed at the state level, with links to relevant legislation and trackers. Policies in gray have not yet been passed in this state.
Climate Governance & Equity
Climate Governance
Greenhouse Gas Targets
Emissions Reduction Target
Net-zero by 2045
Mandate Source
Mandatory – Chapter 1192 – Virginia Energy Plan (2020)
Climate Action Plan
Climate Bureaucracy
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
Green Bank
Lead by Example
ACEEE Score – 0.5 out of 1 point**
Public Fleet ZEV Requirements
**The ACEEE Energy Efficiency Scorecard analyzes the policies and programs states adopt to save energy in public sector buildings and transportation fleets. States can earn up to 1 point.
Equity
Environmental Justice Community Designation
Mandate Source
SB 406 (2020)
Definition
“Environmental justice communities” are defined as any geographic area in which the the population of color is higher than the statewide population of color, expressed as percentages of total population, or any census block group in which 30% or more of the population has an annual household income less than 80% of the area’s median income.
Include race? Yes | Include income? Yes | Include pollution burden? No
State EJ Mapping Tools
In progress – Developing the Virginia EJSCREEN
EJ Community Benefit Requirement
EJ Bureaucracy
EJ Advisory Bodies
Virginia Council on Environmental Justice
EJ Government Staff
DEQ – Office of Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice Interagency Working Group
Adaptation & Resilience
Electricity
Renewables and Energy Storage
Greenhouse Gas Targets
Renewable Portfolio Standard
Distributed Generation/Solar Carve-out
SPOT Components – 0 out of 5*
Net Metering
SPOT Components – 6 out of 11*
Energy Storage Standard
SPOT Components – 5 out of 5*
Shared Renewables
SPOT Components – 4 out of 6*
Grid and Utility Reform
Clean Energy Plan
Grid Modernization Plan
The GridWise Alliance’s Grid Modernization Index (GMI) evaluates and ranks the status of grid modernization efforts across all 50 states and D.C.
50-state Ranking – 25th
Interconnection Standards
SPOT Components – 6 out of 6*
Utility Green Power Option
SPOT Components – 6 out of 6*
New Utility Business Model Proceeding
SPOT Components – 0 out of 5*
Carbon Pollution Pricing
*The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.
Buildings & Efficiency
Building Energy Codes
Residential Codes
SPOT Components – 4 out of 6*
Statewide code – 2018 IECC
Commercial Codes
SPOT Components – 3 out of 6*
Statewide code – 2018 IECC
Stretch or Reach Codes
*The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.
Efficiency Programs and Incentives
Weatherization Programs
SPOT Components – 2 out of 4*
Energy Auditing Programs
Retrocommissioning Programs
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
SPOT Components – 6 out of 10*
Energy Savings Performance Contracting
SPOT Components – 5 out of 5*
Standards and Market Mechanisms
Energy Efficiency Resource Standard
SPOT Components – 2 out of 5*
Building Performance Standard (BPS)
Appliance Performance Standard (APS)
Carbon Pollution Pricing
Buildings Data Disclosure
Transportation
Vehicle Standards and Incentives
Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) Standards
Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandates
EV Targets and Sales Requirements
Advanced Clean Cars II (2022) – By 2035: 100% of new passenger and light-duty vehicles sold in the state are electric vehicles
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle (MHDVs) Sales Standards
Electric Vehicle Incentives
SPOT Components – 3 out of 5*
Charging Infrastructure Incentives
SPOT Components – 0 out of 5*
Carbon Pollution Pricing
Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS)
State Planning and Investment
Greenhouse Gas Targets
Decarbonization Plan
EV and EV Charging Infrastructure Plans
EV Transit Bus Deployment
The ACEEE Transportation Electrification Scorecard analyzes the level of investment and policies states adopt to procure electric transit buses. States can earn up to 6 points.
ACEEE Score – 2 out of 6 points
Bicycle Friendly State
The League of American Bicyclists’ State Report Cards evaluate and rank the safety and efficiency of active transportation systems across all 50 states.
50-state Ranking – 7th
*The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.