Brownfield Opportunities in Virginia

A Handbook: Developing Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Facilities on Brownfields and Previously Coal Mined Lands in Virginia

☀ View the Brownfields Opportunities Handbook

The purpose of this handbook is to help identify key considerations and issues associated with developing brownfields and coal mine sites for renewable energy or energy storage systems on those sites.

In 2021, House Bill 1925 (HB1925)1 was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor. HB1925 establishes the Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy and Grant Fund Program. As mandated by the legislation, this handbook has been developed by the Virginia Department of Energy (Virginia Energy), in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as well as other key stakeholders, both private and public. Both the fund program and this handbook were established to help foster the deployment of renewable energy and energy storage on these types of properties throughout the Commonwealth. Virginia possesses a rich history of energy production as well as a significant number of coal mine and brownfield sites throughout the state.