The General Assembly

Weekly – Week 3

Virginia’s 2026 General Assembly is now moving through the third week, here are the updates to the House Bills. 

As a 501c3 non-profit educational organization, Energy Right does not support nor oppose any of these legislative proposals. We want to do our part to keep Virginians in the know about energy bills being considered this session.

HB285 & SB223 – Distributed Energy Task Force

Creates the Distributed Energy Resources Task Force made up of legislators, state agencies, utilities, local governments, consumer advocates, and energy experts. They will review and improve state laws, modernize interconnection and market access, and guide the expansion of distributed solar, storage, microgrids, and virtual power plants.

Patron: Del. Dan Helmer

Week 1: Pending committee referral – 1/12/2026
Week 2: Referred to House Rules Committee – 1/14/2026
Week 3: Referred to House Rules Studies Subcommittee – 1/30/2026

HB508 – Agrivoltaic Projects & Advisory Panel

Updates the definition of agrivoltaics and small renewable energy projects to clarify how agricultural production and solar generation can coexist on the same land. It directs the Virginia Cooperative Extension to convene a stakeholder advisory panel of agricultural, conservation, utility, local government, and solar representatives to set criteria, best practices, and incentives for qualifying agrivoltaic projects in Virginia.

Patron : Del. John McAuliff

Week 1: Pending committee referral – 1/13/2026
Week 2: Referred to House Labor and Commerce Committee – 1/19/2026

Week 3: Fiscal Impact Statement Dept of Planning & Budget – 1/26/2026

HB683 – Solar Interconnection Grant Fund

Creates a Solar Interconnection Grant Program to help local governments and school boards cover the costs of connecting public solar facilities to the electric grid. The program is administered by the Department of Energy and prioritizes projects located on previously developed sites.

Patron: Del. Charniele Herring

Week 1: Referred to House Labor and Commerce Committee – 1/19/2026

Week 2: Referred to Subcommittee on Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources – 1/20/2026

Week 3: Reported from House Appropriations Committee (21‑Y 0‑N) – 1/30/2026

**Awaiting Full House Chamber Vote*

HB711 – Solar Ordinance Standards

Standardizes local oversight of solar and energy storage projects by clarifying by-right allowances across zoning districts and strengthening decommissioning and financial assurance requirements. It also requires large solar and storage projects to obtain special exceptions subject to uniform statewide standards for siting, environmental protection, and reporting of local decisions.

Patron: Del. Charniele Herring

Week 1: Pending committee referral – 1/13/2026

Week 2: Referred to House Counties, Cities, & Towns Committee – 1/13/2026

Week 3: Reported from House Counties, Cities & Towns (15‑Y 5‑N) – 1/30/2026 **Awaiting Full House Chamber Vote**

HB891 – BESS Siting as Permitted Use

Aims to allow battery energy storage projects to be installed as a permitted accessory use on parcels with an approved solar special exception, without requiring additional local land use approvals. It also clarifies the siting agreement process for solar and storage projects while preserving local authority over safety codes and voluntary negotiations.

Patron: Del. Irene Shin

Week 1: Pending committee referral – 1/13/2026

Week 2: Referred to House Counties, Cities, & Towns Committee – 1/13/2026

Week 3: Reported House Counties, Cities and Towns (17‑Y 4‑N) – 1/30/2026 **Awaiting Full House Chamber Vote**

HB895 – BESS Storage Model Ordinance & Target Capacity

Aims to significantly expand Virginia’s clean energy and energy storage framework by directing the Department of Energy to develop model local ordinances for energy storage, aligned with NFPA 855 safety standards, and convene stakeholder work groups. It also updates the Virginia Clean Economy Act by increasing utility targets for solar, wind, and both short- and long-duration energy storage. There would be state-led demonstrations and planning to support grid reliability and large-scale storage deployment.

Patron: Del. Rip Sullivan

Week 1: Pending committee referral – 1/13/2026

Week 2: Referred to House Labor and Commerce Committee – 1/22/2026

Week 3: Assigned House Commerce & Labor Subcommittee #3

HB918 – Virginia Clean Energy Research and Support Center

Establishes the Virginia Clean Energy Research and Support Center (the Center) as an interdisciplinary study, research, and informational resource for individuals and businesses in the Commonwealth. The Center is governed by a board of directors that includes representatives from several colleges and universities and multiple state agencies. The center will provide technical assistance, research, or support in matters related to siting and permitting, programs to improve electric grid reliability, and more.

Patron: Del. Rip Sullivan

Week 1: Pending committee referral – 1/13/2026
Week 3: Referred to House Rules Studies Subcommittee – 1/30/2026

HB920 – Development of Offshore Wind Capacity

Aims to dramatically expand Virginia’s offshore wind and clean energy mandates by increasing the state’s offshore wind target to up to 25,000 MW and accelerating utility procurement timelines. It also strengthens the Renewable Portfolio Standard, raises solar, wind, and energy storage requirements, and updates cost-recovery, workforce, environmental mitigation, and large-customer participation.

Patron: Del. Alfonso H. Lopez

Week 1: Pending committee referral – 1/13/2026

Week 2: Referred to House Labor and Commerce Committee – 1/22/2026 & Fiscal Impact Statement from SCC – 1/25/2026

Week 3: FAILED Struck from House Labor & Commerce Committee (10‑Y 0‑N) – 1/30/2026

HB935 – Virginia Clean Energy & Battery Storage Promotion Program

Would create the Virginia Clean Energy and Battery Storage Promotion, Research, and Market Development Program, along with a governing board and dedicated fund, to support research, workforce development, market growth, and public education for solar and battery storage technologies. It finances the program through a per-watt fee on solar and energy storage projects and requires annual reporting to the Governor and General Assembly.

Patron: Del. Alfonso H. Lopez

Week 1: Pending committee referral – 1/13/2026

Week 2: Referred to House Labor and Commerce Committee – 1/13/2026

Week 3: No new updates as of 2/1/2026

HB1065 – Surplus Interconnection Sites (FAST ACT)

Would require Phase I and Phase II utilities to competitively procure zero-carbon generation and energy storage at sites with surplus interconnection capacity, prioritizing cost-effective use of existing grid infrastructure. It limits approval of new carbon-emitting generation unless surplus interconnection options are exhausted, streamlines permitting for qualifying reliability resources, and directs the SCC to map and designate surplus interconnection sites statewide beginning in 2027.

Patron: Del. Phil Hernandez

Week 2: Referred to House Labor & Commerce Committee – 1/20/2026 & Fiscal Impact Statement from SCC – 1/25/2026

Week 3:  Assigned to House Labor & Commerce Subcommittee #3 – 1/29/2026

HB1133 – Virginia Solar Energy & Battery Energy Storage Systems Program

Establishes a state-administered program to approve residential, commercial, industrial, and utility-scale solar and short-duration battery storage projects and track deployment through public reporting and dashboards. It creates a refundable state tax credit covering 35% of eligible project costs, with project caps and annual limits, to incentivize solar-plus-storage and standalone storage installations across sectors.

Patron: Del. David Reid

Week 2: Referred to House Finance Committee – 1/22/2026

Week 3: No new updates as of 2/1/2026

HB1372/SB758 – Solar Energy Wages, Taxation, and Apprenticeships

Would require solar developers to pay prevailing wages and meet apprenticeship requirements such as a % of total labor hours are to be done by at least one qualified apprentice. It also creates a state and local tax exemption for certified solar generation facilities (5–150 MW) that comply with these labor standards, effective for contracts entered into after July 1, 2026

Patron: Del. Dan Helmer

Week 2: Pending Committee Referral – 1/20/2026

Week 3: SB758 is on Senate Commerce & Labor docket – 2/2/2026

Legislation Up for Vote in the House & Senate Chambers
As of February 1, 2026

HB395 – Balcony Solar

Expands and clarifies the installation of rooftop, ground-mounted, and small portable solar generation devices across zoning categories, prohibits localities from banning qualifying portable solar devices, and allows tenants to install certain small systems subject to reasonable restrictions. The bill also revises net energy metering and small agricultural generation rules.

Patron: Paul Krizek

Week 3: Reported out of House Labor & Commerce (22-Y 0-N) – 1/29/2026

HB628 – Rooftop Solar Amendment

Increases the amount of rooftop solar goals of 1% of solar generation to 4.5% of solar generation. A MW increase from 250MW to 1,000MW

Patron: Del. Katrina Callsen

Week 3: Reported out of House Labor & Commerce (22-Y 0-N) – 1/29/2026

HB807 – Shared Solar Phase II

Revises Virginia’s shared solar program for Phase II Utilities by stablishing bill credit and minimum bill structures, expanding program capacity, and setting rules for subscriber organizations, low-income participation, and environmental attribute ownership. It also expands Virginia’s shared solar program from 200 MW to allow an additional 525 MW, bringing the total potential capacity to 725 MW. It also requires a review for further expansion once 268 MW of the new capacity is substantially complete.

Patron: Del. Rip Sullivan

Week 3: Reported out of House Labor & Commerce (22-Y 0-N) – 1/29/2026

HB809 – Shared Solar Phase I

The Phase I shared solar program substitutions established a schedule of increasing MW goals. The first will be an additional 50 MW added on July 1, 2026, and another 50 MW added by January 1, 2028, for a total of 150 MW before further expansion is considered. The utility must petition for a fourth phase review by May 1, 2029, to determine any additional capacity.

Patron: Del. Rip Sullivan

Week 3:Reported out of House Labor & Commerce (22-Y 0-N) – 1/29/2026

SB347 – Local Regulations on Solar via Special Exceptions

Sets statewide parameters for local approval of solar projects 1 MW or larger that serve off-site customers. It establishes setback ranges of 150–200 feet from homes and community buildings, 50–100 feet from roads, 100–250 feet from wetlands and perennial streams, and 50–75 feet from shared property lines, limits panel height to 25 feet, allows up to 75% vegetative ground cover requirements, requires decommissioning cost updates every 5 years, mandates local reporting of decisions within 60 days, and requires the SCC to maintain at least 5 years of decision records, with a standardized reporting form issued by July 1, 2026.

Patron: Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg

Week 3: Read third time and passed Senate (21‑Y 17‑N 0‑A) – 1/30/2026

SB443 – BESS Siting as Special Exception

Makes battery energy storage projects a permitted accessory use to any solar facility with an approved special exception. Key points:

-BESS can be added within the same parcel as the approved solar project without needing a new special exception or local land use approval.

-Existing payments, financial commitments, or tax exemptions for the solar project are not affected.

-BESS must comply with all federal, state, and local safety, fire, and environmental codes.

-Developers may still negotiate a siting agreement with the host locality if desired.

-Applies to BESS with interconnection requests filed before July 1, 2030, subject to local ordinances in effect July 1, 2026.

Patron: Del. Jeremy McPike

Week 3: Read third time and passed Senate (26‑Y 13‑N 0‑A) – 1/30/2026