Governor unveils new Virginia Energy Plan during VCU visit

By Mike Porter

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine detailed a new state energy plan during a news conference at VCU’s School of Engineering. The Virginia Energy Plan was created to promote energy independence and to educate Virginians about energy conservation and efficiency.

“This is an appropriate place to announce the plan,” Kaine said. “VCU is committed to wise energy use on campus and to ongoing research about energy efficiency and conservation.”

The Virginia Energy Plan would reduce the rate of growth in energy use by 40 percent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent. It also seeks to increase in-state energy production by 20 percent. 

The plan establishes four broad goals for energy:

• Increased energy independence through expanded conservation and efficiency and increased in-state energy production.
• Expanded consumer education on energy use.
• A target to reduce 2025 baseline greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent.
• An effort to capitalize on economic development opportunities and increase research and development in nuclear technologies, alternate transportation fuels, coastal energy production and carbon capture and storage.

The commonwealth recently purchased 27,000 compact fluorescent bulbs to replace incandescent bulbs in facilities across the state. The bulbs are expected to save Virginia taxpayers $125,000 per year and to reduce electric use equivalent to the amount used by 1,300 homes. This will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,100 metric tons per year.

VCU received 1,800 of the new bulbs. The governor placed one of them in a light fixture at the School of Engineering to show how easy it is to choose to conserve energy.

“We make many day-to-day decisions that affect whether we use energy wisely or whether we waste it. We also make long-term choices that affect energy use, such as choices about the houses we live in, the cars we drive and whether we are using energy efficiently in our business,” Kaine said.

In addition to using the new energy efficient light bulbs, VCU is installing energy and water-saving devices in 15 buildings and looking at other ways to conserve and promote green development across campus.

“When you consider the number of students, faculty, staff and workers, VCU is in fact a small city of 48,000 people and we take energy conservation seriously,” said Francis L. Macrina, VCU’s vice president for research.

The Virginia Energy Plan was required by the 2006 General Assembly and was prepared by a broad-based advisory group representing citizens, consumers, the environmental community and Virginia energy producers. 

The Department of Mines, Mineral and Energy will distribute 20,000 compact fluorescent bulbs at the State Fair of Virginia as Part of Energy Conservation Awareness Week and to highlight Virginia’s first Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday Oct. 5-8.