Del. Adam Ebbin’s plan to create a fund to provide low-interest loans for solar energy projects cleared the Virginia House of Delegates unanimously on Tuesday.
The fund created by the legislation would be managed by Virginia’s Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy and would provide loans to help consumers install solar energy systems.
“Virginia has some of the highest solar energy potential in the region, but we’re being outpaced by our neighbors like Maryland, which has only two-thirds our population but thirteen times the number of homes powered by solar energy,” said Ebbin, D-Alexandria.
The Senate already passed its version of the bill, sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington.
Tuesday marks the deadline in the General Assembly where bills, with few exceptions, have to cross over from one chamber to the other.
Unlike the solar fund legislation, many bills, such as curbs on illegal immigration approved by the Republican-controlled House, tougher penalties for texting while driving approved by the Democratic-controlled Senate, face uphill sleds in winning approval in the other chamber.
