New solar project approved for Gloucester County

The state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has issued a permit for Strata Solar Development to construct and operate a solar facility, Gloucester Solar LLC, in Gloucester County. The 19.8 megawatt (MW) project will supply enough electricity to power more than 4,000 homes.

“Once complete, the new Gloucester facility will allow thousands of Virginians to sustainably power their homes and businesses,”  Gov. Ralph Northam, said in a statement announcing the project.  “This latest announcement is proof that Virginia’s solar sector is growing. We will continue to support investments in solar energy infrastructure that will bring low-cost, renewable energy to all corners of the commonwealth.”

The project is expected to offset the generation of tons of 39.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide, 26,908 pounds of nitrogen oxides, and 31,254 pounds of sulfur dioxide.

According to the governor’s office, the commonwealth has seen a dramatic increase in its installed solar capacity during the past five years, growing from 17 MW in 2014 to more than 300MW at the end of last year. DEQ has granted permits to more than 600MW of renewable energy since 2015 and has received notification for an additional 2,300 MW.