Sailing for the horizon
Despite pandemic disruptions, the Port of Virginia looks to the future
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Tariff wars and the COVID-19 pandemic delivered a one-two punch to the Port of Virginia, but officials are focusing on the positive as expansions are completed at the port’s two largest terminals, and a dredging project to make Virginia the East Coast’s deepest port is running ahead of schedule. The third-largest East Coast port behind
Pipeline to progress?
Natural gas is key component of Dominion’s carbon-free plan
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Although Dominion Energy Inc. has pulled the plug on its $8 billion-plus Atlantic Coast Pipeline, natural gas remains a linchpin in the Richmond-based utility’s plan to shift from coal to renewable energy sources like wind and solar for electricity generation. Dominion announced over the Fourth of July weekend that it was abandoning the pipeline and
Offshore windfall
Hampton Roads will be East Coast center for wind energy
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Two massive wind turbines are scheduled to begin spinning off the coast of Virginia Beach by the end of 2020, providing electricity to 3,000 homes and paving the way for Dominion Energy Inc. to build the nation’s largest offshore wind farm. And even amid the coronavirus outbreak, plans are still proceeding on course, says
Positive energy
How Virginia’s electric utilities plan to become carbon neutral by 2050
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By 2026, as many as 220 massive wind turbines — each taller than the Washington Monument — may be churning away less than 30 miles off the Virginia Beach coast, powering up to 650,000 homes with renewable energy. The $7.8 billion proposed offshore wind farm would be the nation’s largest such project, but it’s just
Pig-powered
Dominion Energy and Smithfield Foods join forces to convert hog manure into energy
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Along with emitting a potent odor, manure produced by the nearly 75 million hogs in the U.S. generates methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more harmful to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. However, Virginia’s largest electric utility and the world’s largest pork producer have teamed up to combat the latter problem by transforming these emissions
Winds of change
Virginia Beach’s $8 billion offshore wind farm moves forward
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In September, Dominion Energy Inc. unveiled an ambitious, $8 billion project to erect the nation’s largest offshore wind farm off the Virginia Beach coast. If all goes to plan, it will power 650,000 Virginia homes by 2026. This year, Dominion expects to bring its offshore wind pilot project online and start ocean survey work on
Port of call
Deep-water harbor drives local economy
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Hampton Roads’ deep-water port continued to be a dominant factor in attracting companies to the region in 2019, especially cold storage and warehousing and logistics firms. “As we try to bring industry into this area, the port is a significant driver of our economic development,” says Doug Smith, president and CEO of the Hampton Roads
Maritime Association turns 100, eyes expansion
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In the Virginia Maritime Association’s 100th year, Ashley McLeod has a wish for inland businesses to recognize the impact of the Port of Virginia on the entire state. “One in 10 jobs in Virginia is related to maritime supply chains,” says McLeod, the association’s vice president for communications and marketing. “We want to be there
Pharrell Williams-backed surf park on its way
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After almost a year of negotiations, Virginia Beach City Council has struck a deal with Venture Realty Group to develop a mixed-use surf park and entertainment venue covering three city blocks near the oceanfront. Called Atlantic Park, the $325 million project will be built on the 10-acre site of The Dome, the geodesic concert venue
‘Screen-side manner’
Telehealth expands specialists’ reach into remote areas and saves lives
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Initially focused on rural areas, U.Va.’s telehealth program has expanded to wherever there is a shortage of specialists.