Solar & Storage: The Key for Energy Affordability in Virginia - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica emphasizes that expanding solar energy and energy storage is the most immediate, cost-effective solution to meet Virginia’s growing electricity demand while enhancing affordability and grid reliability. Solar and storage technologies are highlighted as the fastest and cheapest new electricity sources to deploy, capable of coming online within months rather than years. By increasing access to distributed solar generation—such as rooftop, parking lot, landfill, and brownfield solar—and advancing grid-scale storage, Virginia can reduce pressure on electricity prices and give consumers greater control over their energy costs. The Solar Energy Industries Association supports a legislative agenda for Virginia’s 2026 General Assembly that includes raising the Renewable Portfolio Standard carveout for distributed solar, expanding energy storage goals, and streamlining residential solar permitting processes. These measures aim to stabilize the grid, lower electricity costs, and remove costly regulatory barriers that can add thousands of dollars to solar installation expenses. The article also notes that states across the political spectrum are investing in dispatchable energy storage to store cheaper electricity and