Wedoany.com Report-May 25, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed Senate Bill 1316 into law, incorporating geothermal energy into the state’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) as an eligible renewable technology. The bill, authored by Senator Jeremy McPike, amends the RPS, which was established in 2020 through House Bill 1526. The RPS mandates that Phase II utilities achieve 100% renewable energy production by a specified deadline, with Phase I utilities required to meet the same goal by 2050.

Richmond, Virginia

The inclusion of geothermal energy allows utilities to use geothermal electric generating resources to meet RPS requirements, alongside other sources such as solar, wind, waste-to-energy, hydropower, geothermal heating and cooling, and biomass. A proposal to include nuclear energy in the RPS was considered but rejected by the Virginia General Assembly.

Senator Jeremy McPike commented on the bill’s significance: “The geology of Virginia may not be perfect for [geothermal], but we want companies to explore it as a renewable source. And so, this is something that hasn’t been in the code. I think by adding it, it’s a signal that, ‘hey, we’re interested [in] adding it to our renewable portfolio standard.’”

Thomas Turner, Virginia state director of Conservatives for Clean Energy, praised the governor’s leadership: “I’m very glad that the governor has been a leader in energy his administration. I think that’s one of his legacy points is energy planning. And I’m really thankful that he has embraced the all-of-the-above approach to energy, as many Republican governors have across the country.”

The amendment encourages exploration of geothermal energy, enhancing Virginia’s commitment to diversifying its renewable energy portfolio. By including geothermal resources, the state aims to promote sustainable energy solutions, supporting both environmental goals and reliable power supply for its residents and industries.