New England Lawmakers Weigh Plug-in Solar as Europe’s Model Spreads - Inside Climate News Legislation in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island would allow small solar panels to plug directly into home outlets, expanding access to clean energy.

New England could soon adopt plug‑in solar, letting compact panels plug directly into home outlets and expand clean energy access for renters. Lawmakers in Maine, Vermont, NH, MA & RI are advancing bills to make it happen. Read more here: tinyurl.com/3scdtmy3
#CleanEnergy #ClimateNews #ClimateAction

General Assembly Advances Agrivoltaics Initiatives Legislation aimed at supporting agrivoltaics—the process of combining farming with solar energy generation—is advancing through the General Assembly.

Virginia’s General Assembly advanced bills to define & support agrovoltaics to boost clean energy and protect farmland. The measures would help shape state code to make projects easier to build. Read more here: www.loudounnow.com/news/general...

UPDATE: The Polar Bear Plunge has been moved to February 21st! Our commitment to bold climate action continues, just on a new date. Thanks for your flexibility and we hope you’ll still support, donate, or join us as we make a splash for climate on 2/21! #climateaction #polarplunge2026 #LoudounCounty

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Legislative Preview. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. With a new administration on the horizon and a wave of newly elected leaders taking office in 2026, Virginia has an unprecedented opportunity to advance bold, just, and sustainable policy. The decisio...

Virginia’s climate future is at a turning point

With new leaders taking office in 2026, we have an opportunity to advance climate-forward policies.

Join @sierraclub.org VA on Jan 8 at 12pm for a legislative preview webinar and learn how to take action.

Sign up: sierraclub.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

WE'RE PLUNGING FOR THE CLIMATE! On February 7th, our team will be plunging into icy cold waters with fellow climate activists to help raise vital funds for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network’s (CCAN) critical climate campaigns in...

It’s that time again! 🎉 We are doing the Polar Bear Plunge for climate action with @chesapeakeclimate.bsky.social Help us reach our goal and make a difference this winter! #climate #climateaction #LoudounCounty give.chesapeakeclimate.org/p2p/site/mjS...

With Transmission Line Controversies, Local Leaders Look to Move Away from Data Center Growth The Board of Supervisors opened 2025 by approving a work plan for the county’s Department of Planning and Zoning to revamp regulations governing data centers. That project defined data center

Now, officials are openly discussing moving away from large scale data center growth and reexamining how future development aligns with community priorities. Read more here: www.loudounnow.com/news/with-tr...

Proposed high-voltage transmission lines tied to data centers have sparked resident backlash, highlighting broader worries about energy demand, environmental effects, and whether local infrastructure can keep pace with continued expansion.

Loudoun County leaders are beginning to rethink decades of rapid data center growth as controversies over new transmission lines intensify. What was once viewed as an economic win is now raising serious concerns about land use, infrastructure, and community impact. #datacenters #loudouncounty

If the US Has to Build Data Centers, Here’s Where They Should Go A new analysis tries to calculate the coming environmental footprint of AI in the US and finds that the ideal sites for data centers aren’t where they’re being built.

“While Virginia doesn’t suffer from water scarcity, massive energy demand from data centers could derail the state’s goal to source 100% clean energy by 2045.”
Read more here! www.wired.com/story/heres-...

A new @wired.com article highlights how U.S. data center growth is accelerating emissions, straining water resources, and clustering in regions unequipped to support it. It outlines where future facilities should be built instead to be more sustainable. Hint: it’s not Virginia #sustainability

In a new strategy, energy storage could be used alongside a planned Loudoun County data center Data centers are becoming ubiquitous in Loudoun County. But one potential campus is suggesting something new: pairing its data center with energy storage.

Read more on the proposal and what it could mean for Loudoun’s energy future: www.loudountimes.com/0local-or-no...

#Loudoun #Energy #DataCenters #Policy

If Loudoun ties approvals to using renewables and careful siting, this project could be an exemplary model for balancing tech growth with sustainability. Real progress means storage powered by clean energy, not just more batteries #CleanEnergy #Loudoun

However, the site lies in Loudoun’s “Transition Policy Area,” where data centers aren’t permitted under the current comprehensive plan. That raises key questions about zoning consistency and policy alignment. #LoudounCounty #DataCenters

Loudoun County is reviewing a proposal to pair energy-storage batteries with a new data center. This strategy could be impactful if a good share of the power stored comes from renewables like solar, setting a stronger example for sustainable energy use. #Loudoun #RenewableEnergy

In a new strategy, energy storage could be used alongside a planned Loudoun County data center Data centers are becoming ubiquitous in Loudoun County. But one potential campus is suggesting something new: pairing its data center with energy storage.

Read more on the proposal and what it could mean for Loudoun’s energy future: www.loudountimes.com/0local-or-no...

If future approvals require renewable sourcing and responsible siting, this could set a positive precedent for cleaner tech growth. Otherwise, battery storage risks masking continued fossil dependence. #Sustainability #CleanEnergy

However, the site lies in Loudoun’s “Transition Policy Area,” where data centers aren’t permitted under the current comprehensive plan. That raises key questions about zoning consistency and policy alignment.

PEC Pilots Agrivoltaics Project at Aldie Community Farm A new project that combines solar energy with farming – touted as the first of its kind in Virginia – is being piloted by the Piedmont Environmental Council at its

Farming meets solar power in Virginia! The Piedmont Environmental Council is piloting the state’s first agrivoltaics project. Read more about it below! @loudounnow.org #LoudounCounty #Agrovoltaics #SolarPower

www.loudounnow.com/news/pec-pil...

Sunday Was Also Sun Day

Solar power isn’t just a “maybe someday” — it’s becoming a foundation for our clean energy future. This @nytimes.com piece dives into how “Sun Day” activists are pushing to make sunlight a stronger part of America’s energy mix.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/c...

#ClimateAction #Solar

“ChatGPT, why is my electric bill so high?”
Cartoon by Paul Noth @newyorker.com @paulnoth.bsky.social #datacenters #loudouncounty

We Found the Hidden Cost of Data Centers. It's in Your Electric Bill YouTube video by More Perfect Union

AI and cloud giants are driving your power costs—literally. This video breaks down who’s really footing the bill. www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN6B...

Data Centers Need to Bring Own Power Supply, Grid Watchdog Says Data centers looking to connect to the largest US grid must bring their power supply, the system’s independent watchdog said.

Just weeks ago, the watchdog suggested that developers consider building their own plants. Now, it is recommending this requirement. The watchdog makes clear: responsible planning can no longer be delayed.
Read more at: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Data centers are straining aging infrastructure and driving up electricity costs. Virginia and Loudoun County sit at the center of this issue, but the consequences reach across all PJM states.

Monitoring Analytics, PJM’s market monitor, stated: “The current supply of capacity in PJM is not adequate to meet the demand from large data center loads and will not be adequate in the foreseeable future.”

The PJM grid, which stretches from Virginia to Illinois, serves 65 million customers. Virginia faces the most severe challenges, as it is home to the largest concentration of data centers in the world.

PJM’s independent watchdog has issued a dramatic warning: all future data centers in its 14-state region should be required to bring their own power supply. The grid is already maxed out and cannot support additional large-scale demand.

Speak up! Add your name to the public comment list for Tuesday’s vote: www.loudoun.gov/4853/About-B...
#LoudounCounty #DataCenters

This is not a done deal — the Board does not have to approve it. They can consider public input and land use priorities. Loudoun County needs more housing, not more data centers. But here’s how you can help: (3)

Why this matters:
Loudoun already has the world’s biggest concentration of data centers
The energy grid is overloaded — backup generators are running just to keep up. Neighbors worry about noise, diesel fumes & lost land for homes. Loudoun needs more housing, not just more data centers (2)

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is voting on Tuesday, July 15th, on whether to rezone 22 acres near Leesburg Executive Airport for up to 742,000 sq ft of new data centers or warehouses/industrial buildings. (1)