Charlie Sharpless, Assistant Director for Research, Andlinger Center for Energy & the Environment at Princeton University
Vision 2030
Fredericksburg is a regional leader on education, coalition building, and action for clean energy initiatives in the municipal, commercial, residential, and transportation sectors. Staged emissions reduction targets for each sector have been established within the city based on a robust emissions inventory undertaken in 2022-2025. These commitments are the basis of sector-specific strategic plans to reduce the carbon intensity of energy consumption and encourage deployment of renewable energy in Fredericksburg City. The city and surrounding counties have formed a consortium that is pursuing a combination of power purchase agreements and municipal utility-scale projects to bring low-cost solar photovoltaic (PV) energy to the region. The consortium has established programs and partnerships to increase residential and commercial stakeholder access to solar PV and hot water systems, and it is working with utilities to promote residential and commercial incentive programs for renewable electricity purchases. Municipal and public transportation fleets are on their way to full electrification, and personal electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is increasingly available in popular gathering places and key neighborhood locations. The city and its partners are well-integrated into regional, national, and international organizations for local governments making the energy transition. These resources help ensure that Fredericksburg is ideally poised to pursue coordinated strategic planning that equitably advances emissions reductions goals, reduces energy consumption and costs, and improves local environmental quality and quality of life.
Reality 2022
In 2019, Fredericksburg City Council passed a resolution committing the city to 100% clean energy for municipal operations by 2035 and for community-wide operations by 2050 (100-2050). Since then, little progress has been made towards an implementation plan for these ambitious goals, partly – but not wholly – due to COVID disruptions. Shortly after the resolution, the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) was passed, setting concrete yearly targets for solar, wind, and storage capacity that will need to be met by energy providers. For example, in 2030, Dominion Power (Fredericksburg City’s provider) will be required to generate 41% of its electricity from renewables. This is a firm baseline against which Fredericksburg must develop an energy transition strategy to realize the 2019 resolution’s goals. In particular, the city needs to immediately develop a quantitative plan for capital and operations adjustments that will meet the commitment to 100% clean municipal operations by 2035. Further, it must immediately start laying the groundwork for a rational strategic plan towards 100-2050. The planning timescale for the required infrastructure transitions and investments is measured in decades, so there is no time to waste.
Challenges and Opportunities
Fredericksburg faces several challenges in meeting the 2019 resolution’s goals. These include budget limitations for infrastructure and equipment as well as the lack of a city-wide energy use and emissions inventory. Further, much of the change needed to achieve the 100-2050 goal lies with the city’s residents, outside the government’s power and control. Finally, regional partnerships that could facilitate cost-effective solar development projects and/or collective power purchase agreements (PPAs), or virtual PPAs, can be difficult to establish and sustain.
Nonetheless, current trends present Fredericksburg with several opportunities for planning and executing local energy transitions that will meet the resolution’s goals. For example, the VCEA requires Dominion to provide 41% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050. This should ease planning the transition to 100% clean municipal operations. The city does not generate power or steam, so there are three things to accomplish: secure a sufficient percentage of renewable electricity to offset Dominion’s non-renewable generation; convert natural gas fired services to electric; and convert fleet vehicles to EVs (or possibly biodiesel). While the latter two changes will require capital audit and expense planning, programs currently exist for the city to immediately secure renewable electricity, such as Dominion’s 100% Renewable Energy Program or becoming a customer with Arcadia Power, if possible. The city could also explore PPAs and look into developing municipal solar (using brown fields or other underutilized space) independently or with regional partners. While this latter type of project is ambitious, municipal solar has the potential to simultaneously meet municipal clean energy goals and generate revenue by selling power into the grid (e.g., as a subscriber organization in Dominion’s Shared Solar Program).
Achieving the 100-2050 goal will be hard. Without an energy use/emissions inventory, the city will have no ability to track its progress or set sector-specific goals. Even with an inventory, Virginia’s Dillon Rule prevents the city from mandating energy transitions by its citizens, so achieving decarbonization will require strong civic engagement, partnering, and outreach efforts to build community awareness of renewable energy options and opportunities to access them. For example, educating Fredericksburg residents about their options for renewable electricity installation and purchases is crucial. The landscape of options can be confusing, and people and businesses need to know what incentives exist for rooftop solar installation, which electricity plans most effectively support renewable energy in VA, and if there are partners and cost-effective options for participating in community solar projects. Low-income residents should be aware of things like Dominion’s new Shared Solar Program, which sets aside 30% of its generation capacity for low-income customers. Similarly, education and outreach is needed to inform residents about incentives and options for switching out gas appliances for electric ones and adopting EVs. Most importantly, the city and its environmentally-focused stakeholders need to recognize that the landscape of clean energy options is not static: the technology is rapidly advancing; regulatory frameworks and incentives are changing; corporate incentives are changing; and funding, finance, and markets that shape the options available to individuals and organizations are changing. There is a critical need to stay engaged with the world beyond Fredericksburg and be well-informed of what’s on the horizon. Participating in organizations that support municipal energy transition efforts, some of which are listed in the resources section below, will pay dividends in knowledge and networks that can help Fredericksburg realize its vision of clean energy leadership.
Resources (alphabetical)
Alexandria and Falls Church, VA renewable energy initiatives examples.
American Cities Climate Challenge tools, resources, technical assistance for renewable deployments
Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy site provides insight into Arlington County’s strategic approach to meeting their 2035 100% renewable energy commitment.
C40 international network of big city mayors, provides resources that could be useful.
Cities Race to Zero UN campaign for climate commitments from cities, companies, and institutions.
Dominion Power Renewable Energy and Electric Transportation Programs
support for purchasing and using green power.
EPA Local Government Solar Project Portal solar project support, advice, and resources.
ICLEI USA local governments sharing standards, tools, and programs to advance sustainability.
Information About Purchasing Renewable Energy in Virginia (news article)
Urban Transformation Program and City Climate Intelligence program (Rocky Mountain Institute) information and resources to support energy transition planning and execution.
Science Based Targets Network guidance on setting fact-based emissions reduction targets.
Virginia Energy Efficiency Council cities, businesses, nonprofits advancing efficiency and renewables.
