Virginia Governor Leads Path to 100% Carbon-Free Energy by 2050

(Reuters) – Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed an executive order on Tuesday that aims to generate all of the state’s electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050 to reduce the Commonwealth’s impact on climate change:

– The ordinance assumes a temporary target of generating 30% of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

– With this order, Virginia joins several other states that have already set 100% clean energy goals, including Hawaii, California, New Mexico, Maine, New York and Washington state, according to Environment America, an environmental group that advocates for energy production this country all its energy from clean, renewable energy.

– Virginia expects to meet the order’s goals by adding more solar, wind and energy storage projects and investing in energy efficiency programs.

– According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2017, natural gas accounted for 50% of net electricity generated in Virginia, nuclear energy – 33%, coal – almost 12%, and renewable resources, including biomass and hydropower – more than 6%. %. .

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Marguerita Choy)