Brightfields

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“Brightfields” are Brownfield sites that have been abandoned or have known or perceived contamination of hazardous substances from previous site uses, and are redeveloped with the incorporation of renewable energy projects. There are many different types of renewable energy applications on Brightfield developments, most commonly photovoltaic arrays (solar panel farms) and battery storage systems.

Brownfield sites often have unique attributes that can offer significant advantages for developing renewable energy projects including existing utilities and infrastructure, proximity to grid connections, unshaded open spaces, and favorable locations. Common incentives for developing Brownfield sites into Brightfields include the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credit for siting a solar facility in an “energy community” (i.e. Brownfield property), conservation of prime agricultural lands and undeveloped “greenfields” that might otherwise be clearcut for solar development, revitalization of blighted and vacant lands to be economically productive again and contribute to the local tax base, and generally less public opposition from community members for solar development located on a Brownfield.

Bona Fide Prospective Purchasers (BFPP), Innocent Land Owners (ILO), Contiguous Property Owners (CPO), Tenants, and Lenders connected to Brownfields may have their liability limited if they have completed the required due diligence and agree to and uphold the required continuing obligations. Click here for the Brownfield Liability Limitation (BLL) Application, Brownfield Liability Limitation (BLL) Application Information, and Brownfield Liability Limitation (BLL) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Flowchart.

Leveraged properly, property owners and localities can transform unusable land into opportunities for producing clean energy while generating new property tax revenue and job opportunities.

Virginia Solar Summit

The event consists of dynamic and diverse speakers, presentations and events to advance solar projects and brightfield development in Virginia. Bringing together communities, landowners, industry experts, economic developers as well as state and federal government representatives, the summit focuses on furthering electric solar power through the productive investment and development of brownfield properties. For more information visit the Virginia Solar Summit website.

RE-Power

RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative has ongoing technical assistance efforts with state leaders from Michigan, Virginia and Pennsylvania. RE-Powering finalized technical assistance to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). EPA’s ongoing research on “RE-Powering” state programs will inform Virginia DEQ about best practices in other states. The TA highlights specific “RE-Powering” programs from other states such as New York and New Jersey that are relevant to Virginia, and summarizes best practices for program development and implementation. This topic -- reuse of previously disturbed sites for solar -- is particularly timely in Virginia as the solar footprint in the state continues to expand and state policymakers, municipalities, and other stakeholders are increasingly active in efforts to preserve open agricultural and forested space, leverage existing electricity infrastructure, revitalize communities using landfills and brownfields, and otherwise inform where new solar projects are located. Recent state legislation and results from the recently published Virginia Solar Survey point to the importance of this topic to the solar industry in Virginia. The TA concentrates on small to mid-sized landfills and brownfields as requested by DEQ. Mid-sized landfills and brownfields are: (1) prevalent in Virginia, (2) the most-common size for solar projects on reused sites nationally , and (3) unlikely to be large enough to be reused under the Virginia Clean Economy Act’s provision for at least 200 megawatts (MW) of new solar or wind capacity on “previously developed project sites.”

The Program Summary report is available for download in pdf format.

The Coastal Policy Center at William & Mary Law School conducted an analysis of of legal, environmental, and policy issues during the summer of 2022. The report, Developing Solar Energy in Rural Virginia is now available.