In his recent Cardinal News column, Delegate David Reid posed a central energy challenge facing Virginia: “Our challenge is how we bridge the gap over the next 10-15 years with the most cost-effective, most ratepayer-friendly and cleanest possible energy sources necessary to power our ever-growing, highly interconnected, modern economy.” 

At Energy Right, we know that the answer is clear. The bridge between addressing today’s demands and reaching the deployment of the technologies of the future already exists, and it is built with utility-scale solar and battery storage. 

Much of the conversation around Virginia’s energy future has rightly included small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) and, more speculatively, fusion energy. Both are technologies worth pursuing, but as has been made clear by numerous experts, neither is likely to be commercially available at scale within the next decade. As Delegate Reid notes, Dominion’s first SMR may not come online until the mid-2030s (optimistically) or even 2040. Fusion, while exciting, remains uncertain and experimental. [Disclosure: Dominion is one of our donors, but donors have no say in news decisions; see our policy.]

Meanwhile, the need for power is immediate. Businesses are moving to Virginia in record numbers. We are routinely welcoming and growing new AI infrastructure, manufacturing facilities, biotechnology firms, shipyards; all of which require abundant and reliable electricity. Of course, growing investment is a positive for our Commonwealth, but is also a pressing challenge on our grid. 

As a result of this growth, Virginia is becoming increasingly dependent on energy generated in other states, bringing in roughly 40% of what we consume. In 2023 alone, Virginia imported 50 million megawatt hours of electricity; more than any other state in the country. Every megawatt we generate here at home strengthens Virginia’s energy independence, keeping dollars in our communities while reducing our reliance on imported power. The challenge is not just about keeping up with new demand, but also about reducing our overdependence on power from outside our borders. 

So what can, and must, we do in this moment? We must find a solution in the present to address the growing demand that we are seeing in the present. That solution is the responsible deployment of Solar and Battery Storage. These technologies are not theoretical; they are proven energy producers helping to power our nation. According to SEIA, solar and storage accounted for 54.45% of new U.S. electricity generation in 2022. That share grew to 69.7% in 2023, 85% in 2024, and in just the first half of 2025, 82% of all new energy generation came from solar and storage. No other technologies come close to matching that pace of deployment.

Solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS) represent the fastest, most cost-effective way to get new electrons on the grid. As was noted in a recent Cardinal News column, solar projects can be deployed in a fraction of the time required for nuclear or gas generators. Solar and storage projects can be deployed in as little as 18 to 24 months, while natural gas plants now face supply chain delays that can push timelines back five years or more, and nuclear technologies remain at least a decade away from scaled deployment. 

These facts paint a clear picture: if the goal is to bridge the next 10-15 years affordably and reliably, solar and storage are the tools we must use. 

Despite the seemingly obvious solution before us, there are numerous barriers toward addressing the challenges we face. The greatest obstacles to deploying solar and storage are not technological, rather they are social, political and regulatory. Local governments making decisions on projects across the Commonwealth often face pressure from misinformation that exaggerate, and in some cases fabricate, the risks of renewable energy projects while downplaying their benefits. Property owners who wish to lease their land for solar energy sometimes encounter unnecessary restrictions, limiting their right to use their land responsibly and as they see fit. 

At the same time, communities require confidence that projects will be responsibly sited and generate tangible local benefits. Utility scale projects can and should deliver on all of these fronts, providing tax revenue for schools and public safety, new jobs during construction, and long-term investments in rural economies. 

The challenge before us is to build understanding and trust, ensuring that Virginians can unlock the benefits of solar and storage, while elevating and respecting private property rights and local decision-making. 

Virginia has long been a leader in energy innovation, and today we stand at another inflection point that will shape the Commonwealth’s future. The industries of tomorrow are increasingly choosing Virginia, and with them comes the responsibility to power growth in a way that is affordable, reliable, and sustainable. Meeting that responsibility requires an all-of-the-above mindset and approach. 

As we work to bring new generation of every kind online, we must also be clear about the realities of this moment. Solar and battery storage are the most cost effective and rapidly deployable tools available to meet rising demand, whether for large-scale industrial users or everyday consumers. These technologies are the bridge that can carry us through the next 10 to 15 years while we prepare for the technologies of the future, from advanced nuclear to fusion and beyond.

But building that bridge requires effort. We must stand up for responsible siting policies that both protect private property rights and enable responsible development. We must continue to ensure that localities share in the economic benefits of new projects through tax revenue and investments. Finally, we must respond to misinformation with facts, ensuring that Virginians understand the reality: solar and storage are safe, proven,and the fastest, most affordable way to put new power on the grid. 

If we fail to overcome these barriers, Virginia risks falling behind. The United States risks falling. But if we succeed, and if we work across the Commonwealth to get steel in the ground and batteries on the grid, we will secure a stronger and more prosperous future for our Commonwealth and our country.

Ben Wilson is director of strategy and engagement for Energy Right.