Dominion, Microsoft partnering with state on solar energy project

Dominion Resources Inc., Microsoft and the state are partnering on a new facility to bring 20 megawatts of solar energy onto the grid in Virginia. The principals behind the public-private initiative announced the project Wednesday during a press conference in Richmond at the Patrick Henry Building. 

“This forward-looking partnership will assist us in our continued commitment to increase the renewable energy available to serve our customers in Virginia,” Thomas F. Farrell II, CEO of Dominion Resources Inc., the parent company of Dominion Virginia Power, said in a statement. “Microsoft and the Commonwealth play key roles in making this large-scale solar project possible, and we look forward to working with them.”

Richmond-based Dominion will construct the facility on land it owns in Fauquier County, adjacent to its Remington generating station. The project, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to be in service in late 2017.

Virginia will purchase 100 percent of the electricity generated from the project. Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft will purchase and retire the green attributes from the project to satisfy its sustainability goals.

Dominion committed to 400 MW of solar energy in Virginia by 2020. Microsoft previously announced agreements to purchase 175 MW of wind energy in Illinois that fully powers its Chicago data center with wind energy, and 110 MW of wind energy in Texas that powers its San Antonio data center.