Virginia governor sets renewable energy goal: 100% by 2050

Associated Press
Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 11:07 a.m. | Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 11:07 a.m.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam addresses a commemorative meeting of the Virginia General Assembly on July 30, 2019, the 400th anniversary of the first House of Burgess meeting at a church in Historic Jamestown, Va.

RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Ralph Northam has issued an executive order setting a goal for Virginia to produce 100% of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050.

The order announced Tuesday says the goal will help address climate change, a challenge that “poses potentially devastating risk to Virginia.”

The order sets an intermediate goal of reaching 30% renewable energy by 2030. It also says the Commonwealth’s agencies and executive branch institutions will aim to procure at least 30 percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2022.

Virginia’s GOP-controlled legislature has thwarted Northam’s attempts to pass legislation limiting carbon emissions from power plants. Control of both the House and Senate are up for grabs in November’s elections.

Environmental groups applauded the move from Northam.