Q&A - Governor candidates on energy policy

Q. Fifty years from now, what percentage of Virginia’s energy should come from oil, nuclear, coal and renewable sources? What would you do to get the state started in reaching that mix?

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Creigh Deeds (D)

Deeds has served in the General Assembly since 1992. The Bath County Democrat is an attorney and former prosecutor who narrowly lost a bid for attorney general in 2005.

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE is a matter of national and economic security, and our ultimate goal must be to have 100 percent of our energy come from renewable and alternative sources. In the next 50 years, we can reach a 50 percent renewable energy standard.

To reach it and rebuild our economy we must bring the green jobs of the 21st century to Virginia. That's why I was proud to stand with Gov. Tim Kaine in the Virginia Senate this year to take the lead on creating jobs and making investments in alternative and renewable energy.

My "Smarter Energy, Better Jobs, Greener Virginia" plan includes building a wind farm off Virginia Beach by 2012 and a biofuel production facility in Hampton Roads by 2020. This is just part of my plan to bring opportunity to every corner of Virginia by investing in renewable energy technology.

In my first year as governor, we'll also make the targeted investments for our energy future: green job grant programs, tax exemptions to get residential wind and solar projects off the ground, and investments in smart grid technology. Through my proposal to create the Virginia Energy Research Triangle, we'll connect the innovative research taking place at our institutions of higher learning with private investment and capital.

Everything has to be on the table, and we'll develop the technology we need to reduce the cost of energy, combat global climate change and create the good-paying jobs for middle-class families that will fuel our economic recovery.

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Terry McAuliffe (D)

McAuliffe was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001-05. He lives in McLean and has authored a book about his work as a fundraiser for prominent national Democrats.

OUR LONG-TERM goal should be to transition Virginia away from carbon-based fuels and toward renewable and alternative sources of energy. It not only makes sense from an environmental standpoint, it makes good business sense as well. The states that are positioning themselves right now to become leaders in green energy technology are going to create high-paying jobs and attract new investment down the road.

Virginia needs to do more to become a national leader in the green energy field. Twenty-eight states require utilities to produce a portion of their power from renewable sources, but Virginia does not. This year, the General Assembly failed to pass 82 percent of bills that would have provided tax incentives for renewable energy.

My bold plan starts with a mandatory renewable portfolio standard of 25 percent by 2025, a standard that will put Virginia on par with neighboring states and send a clear signal that Virginia is open for business when it comes to green energy. I have proposed several innovative tax incentives for renewable power, such as a feed-in tariff program for solar energy and a gas digester rebate for biomass.

My plan also requires utilities to invest in efficiency first, before building new coal-fired power plants. And I have said repeatedly that drilling for oil off Virginia's coast is not a solution and that we should instead focus on installing wind turbines off the coast of Virginia Beach.

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Brian Moran (D)

Moran represented Alexandria in the House of Delegates for 13 years and served as chairman of the Democratic caucus. He is an attorney and a former prosecutor.

TODAY, WE FACE great economic challenges, but these challenges also present opportunities to create tens of thousands of green energy jobs. My Green Virginia Plan connects the dots between energy, our economy and our environment by promoting new jobs in clean renewable energy and energy efficiency.

My plan calls for a quarter of our energy to come from clean renewable sources, such as wind and solar, to jump-start our renewable energy economy. It invests in small businesses, community colleges and four-year institutions to prepare for these new jobs and put Virginians back to work.

I am the only candidate committed to protecting our environment by opposing offshore drilling and a new coal mega-plant in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This plant would pollute our air and dump thousands of tons of pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay. We cannot solve 21st century challenges with 19th century solutions.

My plan also increases energy efficiency to help tackle climate change and lower our energy bills. As governor, I'll fight for electric decoupling and weatherize more homes to increase efficiencies and lower energy bills for Virginia's families. I'll start with our seniors because our parents and grandparents should not have to choose between paying the electricity bill and paying for heath care. I also will make Virginia a leader in green, energy-efficient buildings. It's smart, it saves money and protects our environment.

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Bob McDonnell (R)

McDonnell previously served as attorney general and as a Republican state delegate representing Virginia Beach. He is an attorney and a former prosecutor.

VIRGINIA IMPORTS the second-highest amount of electricity in the nation. The next governor must develop more of our plentiful domestic energy resources, while promoting alternative energy research and development. Energy independence is a matter of national and economic security.

On April 27, I announced a "More Energy, More Jobs" energy plan at Old Dominion University. I am the only candidate to advocate a comprehensive plan utilizing all of Virginia's energy resources to create jobs and keep electricity and energy prices reasonable.

We will develop our offshore oil and natural gas resources as part of the solution. This will create thousands of jobs and millions in new revenue that I will dedicate to transportation and green energy research. I will support Virginia's clean coal industry, which employs thousands and provides nearly 45 percent of our energy. I will expedite the permitting process for all energy facilities and be a strong proponent of expanded use of nuclear energy.

I will help make Virginia a leader in the research and development of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass. I will establish Virginia as a "green jobs zone," where green energy entrepreneurs receive tax credits and incentives for every new job created.

The focus of our energy policy must be a future supply that is reliable, affordable and environmentally friendly. That will be my priority as governor. My plan puts more Virginians to work, keeps our lights on at low rates and capitalizes on new technology.