Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Order a copy
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2022

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • Issues
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • Issues Archive
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Order a copy
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2022

Home News Amazon HQ2 and Arlington County government will be solar powered

Amazon HQ2 and Arlington County government will be solar powered

Arlington and Amazon will purchase power from Dominion solar farm in Pittsylvania County

Published January 29, 2020 by Sydney Lake

The nine solar projects would generate up to 498 megawatts. Photo courtesy of Dominion Energy.
The nine solar projects would generate up to 498 megawatts. Photo courtesy of Dominion Energy.

Arlington County and Amazon.com Inc. have entered into agreements with Richmond-based Dominion Energy Inc. to purchase power for local government operations and Amazon’s HQ2 East Coast headquarters from a solar farm more than 200 miles away in Southern Virginia.

The Arlington County Board voted Tuesday to approve the agreement with Dominion to procure power from the solar farm Dominion is constructing in Pittsylvania County. Arlington County is expected to purchase approximately one-third of the solar farm’s output to power county government operations, while Amazon announced it will purchase the remaining output under a separate agreement to power HQ2, as well as other Amazon-owned properties around Virginia, including distribution centers and Whole Foods Market grocery stores.

The solar farm is anticipated to be operational by 2022.

Patrick Leonard, senior manager of Amazon’s renewable energy procurement team, led Amazon’s negotiations for the solar project. “My role working with the team in Arlington County involved sharing perspectives on how to strategically assess a renewable energy project that is right for a business or a government and the environment,” Leonard said in a statement. “Once this project is complete, we will continue to look for ways to advance our commitment to sustainability in Arlington.”

This project is part of Amazon’s commitment to The Climate Pledge, an Amazon-cofounded initiative that aims  to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals to mitigate climate change 10 years early. The pledge calls for signatory businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net zero annual carbon emissions by 2040. 

The Dominion solar farm in Pittsylvania is expected to generate approximately 80% (79,000 megawatt-hours of energy) of Arlington County’s electric energy needs for local government operations, including powering county buildings, traffic signals and water pumping and wastewater treatment facilities. The county’s 2019 Community Energy Plan calls for using renewable energy sources to power at least 50% of county operations by 2022.

“This is a groundbreaking partnership for the county,” said Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “It will take us a long way toward our goal of 100% use of renewable sources for all electricity used in government operations by 2025.”

Under the new solar agreement with Dominion, the county will not have to pay any capital funding or upfront costs. Rather, the solar farm will generate electricity that Dominion will sell into the wholesale electric grid and charge at market rates. The county says that the solar project will not have any impact on current Dominion customer rates and the agreement was designed to be cost-neutral.

Dominion has more than seven million customers in 18 states and has more than $100 billion in assets.

Related Stories

Virginia Business logo

JBG Smith gets green light for 300-foot-tall apartment towers in Crystal City

Amazon HQ2 landlord and developer's project at nearby 1900 Crystal Drive will include 811 residential units and retail.

Virginia Business logo

Two more solar plants coming to Danville

The project will generate enough energy to supply 59,000 homes with electricity.

Virginia Business logo

Amazon signs lease on PBS HQ space in Arlington

Amazon is moving into the space by the end of 2020.

Trending

Need a job? Fairfax wants you

Taking the reins

CAROLYN BISHOP

Dollar Tree overhauls C-suite

EAB to expand, add 200 jobs in Henrico County

Sponsored Stories

What can Supply Chain Consultants do for me?

The Lowdown on Downloads for Your Online Experience

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Creating An Urban Destination in Chesapeake

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

Need a job? Fairfax wants you

Taking the reins

CAROLYN BISHOP

Dollar Tree overhauls C-suite

EAB to expand, add 200 jobs in Henrico County

Sponsored Stories

What can Supply Chain Consultants do for me?

The Lowdown on Downloads for Your Online Experience

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Creating An Urban Destination in Chesapeake

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2022 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk