As a clean energy education nonprofit, we regularly have conversations with Virginians about the future of energy in the commonwealth. What starts as discussions about the work we do often delves into larger conversations about clean energy technologies and the mix of energy sources we use to power our grid here in Virginia. More often than not in these conversations, I hear the question: “Can solar fully power our grid?” To which the truth is no, it can’t, not alone or practically. This answer leaves many a bit perplexed, prompting questions about why the state and developers are investing so much in solar, raising counterpoints about the use of farmland, and arguing that the commonwealth should look at other forms of energy generation and abandon solar.
Somehow, our energy debate has become an all-or-nothing conversation. Opponents of solar often claim it can’t meet all our electricity needs, as if that should end the discussion altogether. Yet no serious energy expert argues that solar should replace every other source of electricity. The question isn’t whether solar can do everything. The question is whether solar plays an important role in meeting Virginia’s growing energy needs. That answer is unequivocally yes.
Virginia is experiencing unprecedented growth in electricity demand. New businesses, manufacturing, electrification and data centers all require more power, and they require it quickly. Meeting that demand won’t be accomplished by a single technology. It will take an energy portfolio that is affordable, reliable and diverse.
That’s where solar plays an important role. It is among the fastest energy sources to deploy and one of the most cost-effective sources of new electricity available today. Coupled with battery storage, solar can be an even more effective tool — storing excess electricity when production is high and delivering it back to the grid during periods of peak demand or when generation declines.
Of course, affordability is only part of the equation. Reliability is equally important. Solar alone cannot provide electricity around the clock, which is why Virginia also needs dependable baseload generation that strengthens grid reliability. Every energy source has strengths and limitations. Good energy policy recognizes those tradeoffs instead of pretending one technology can do it all.
I often forget that many of my peers, friends and family are not entrenched in the energy conversation like I am, not recognizing that Virginia is on the brink of an energy crisis because how would one know without being informed — a light switch clicks and lights turn on, but we need to ensure that remains the case for years to come. At Energy Right, we’ve long supported an all-of-the-above energy strategy because that’s what our current energy reality demands. We don’t need to choose between solar and natural gas or between batteries and nuclear. We need each resource to do what it does best.
Unfortunately, too much of today’s public conversation is driven by false choices. The fact that solar cannot meet 100 percent of our electricity demand is often used as an argument to build no solar at all, which doesn’t logically hold up. We don’t reject natural gas because it isn’t emissions-free, nor do we reject nuclear because it takes time to build and permit. We recognize that each technology contributes something valuable to the grid.
As Virginia plans for the future and addresses the impending energy crisis, we must prioritize practical solutions. Our energy challenges are too large to leave proven, affordable technologies on the sidelines. We know that solar isn’t the entire puzzle, but it is an essential piece. If we’re serious about keeping the lights on, attracting new jobs, maintaining reliability and keeping energy affordable, we need to stop debating whether a single technology can do it all and start building an energy portfolio in which all resources have a role.
On the farmland aspect of the conversation, one of the most common misconceptions that we at Energy Right hear about solar energy in Virginia and across the United States is that solar development takes over farmland and threatens agriculture. However, new research released on June 18th from the Solar Energy Industries Association tells a very different story. According to SEIA, all solar development in the United States currently occupies just 0.07% of the nation’s prime agricultural land, and no state uses more than 0.5% of prime farmland for solar, demonstrating that solar’s footprint remains relatively small compared to the land available for farming. On the contrary, millions of acres of farmland are lost each year to residential, commercial, and industrial development, with suburban expansion in the U.S. using 5.9 times as much prime farmland from 2014 to 2024 as solar did during the same period. In Virginia, that story remains the same. Of the 11,662.5 square miles of USDA prime farmland in Virginia, just 43.8 square miles are used for solar. That’s just 0.37% of Virginia prime farmland that is being used to generate 7.6 GW and power over 850,000 homes in the commonwealth.
When I think about these kinds of conversations, I realize it isn’t really about whether solar can power the entire grid. It’s about how easily complex energy issues are reduced to simple talking points, something we cannot continue doing if we want to be serious about the needs of the commonwealth. The reality is that Virginia doesn’t have the luxury of choosing just one energy source. Our growing electricity demand requires solutions that leverage the advantages of various technologies while accounting for their limitations.
Solar won’t solve all the problems we face, just as nuclear, natural gas or any other single resource won’t either. But dismissing solar because it isn’t a silver bullet ignores the important role it plays in keeping energy affordable, expanding generation quickly, and strengthening our grid alongside other reliable resources. If we want to keep the lights on, support economic growth, and preserve Virginia’s energy future from potential rolling blackouts, we need to move past false ideas and have honest conversations about building an energy portfolio in which every resource has a purpose. That’s how we’ll meet the demands of tomorrow, by recognizing that solving our energy challenges isn’t about finding one perfect answer, but putting together all the right pieces of the puzzle.
Jack Wilson is director of communications at Energy Right.
