Click here (PDF file) to read Chapter 1 of Terry McAuliffe's "Business Plan for Virginia." The plan kicks off with "Virginia’s Energy Future." The major elements are:1. "Make Virginia a destination for clean energy and clean tech businesses and jobs."
Includes a mandatory Renewable Portfolio Standard ("Requiring power companies to generate 25% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025") and net metering ("Encouraging cleaner, locally produced electricity by allowing consumers who produce renewable energy to earn actual retail credit to offset their consumption."). Both are excellent ideas (although I'm with Al Gore, let's shoot for 100% renewables within a decade!).
2. "Invest in clean, renewable sources of energy supply."
Includes development of Virginia's wind, solar, and biomass resources. I'm a huge fan of wind and solar, not so much of biomass (unless we're talking about biomass possibilities like algae that deliver many times the amount of energy OUT of the system as it takes INTO the system).
3. "Invest in energy efficiency – the least expensive form of energy supply."
Includes expanded "deployment of smart meters throughout the Commonwealth" and a change in incentives so that utilities "put efficiency first." The latter essentially describes "decoupling," which I strongly support. I also support building a "smart grid" and replacing analog meters with "smart" digital ones throughout Virginia.
4. "Do a better job of using coal and natural gas power more safely and effectively."
I like the emphasis on retraining coal miners so that they are "never unprepared for the changing industry environment." I could do without the "carbon sequestration" (CCS) and "make Virginia coal the cleanest in America," but with Creigh Deeds and Brian Moran (and Jim Webb, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, etc.) also pushing "cleaner coal" (in Brian Moran's case, even calling Virginia the "Saudi Arabia of coal!") and CCS, I've largely resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to agree with either the Republican or Democratic gubernatorial nominee on this issue. Sigh.
5. "Protect our families from fluctuating energy costs and economic disruptions."
I definitely like giving families "the tools to reduce their energy use and carbon footprints." I also like "low-income energy assistance and weatherization programs."
6. "Invest in people, committing significant resources to training and educating Virginians to comprise the workforce for today and tomorrow’s clean tech economy."
This is crucial in order to prepare Virginia's workforce for the "green jobs" of the future.
There's a lot more detail in this 30-page plan. I encourage everyone to read the entire thing and see what you think.
P.S. One thing I would have loved to see in this plan would be a specific requirement that all new buildings in Virginia meet energy efficiency standards. Also, I would have loved to see discussion of "smart growth;" perhaps that will come later, in future sections of the "Business Plan" (I presume there will be a chapter on transportation?).
P.P.S. Compare and contrast to Brian Moran's Green Virginia plan, to Creigh Deeds environmental ideas, and also to Bob McDonnell's lame "drill baby drill" nonsense.
