Terry McAuliffe on Energy & Oil Democratic nominee for Governor; previously DNC Chair

Facilitate development of new clean energy technologies

Terry will continue to champion progressive and innovative solutions to solidify our clean energy future including creating clean schools, facilitating the development of new clean energy technologies, incentivizing existing clean energy technologies, lifting up rural economies, improving energy efficiency and championing decarbonization efforts. He will also begin to decarbonize our roads by incentivizing the use of clean transportation in an equitable way.

Facilitate development of new clean energy technologies

O'Hare Airport wasted no time leaning into that title. The airport changed its official Twitter bio shortly after to a "place of romance" and tweeted a thank you at Buttigieg:

"Thank you for appreciating all the connections we make possible, @PeteButtigieg," the tweet read. "Looking forward to working with you as we continue to make our airport lovable for decades to come."]

Cap carbon emissions from Virginia's electric utilities

Signed 11 bills to promote solar & renewable energy

• SB 1393--7th District Sen. Frank Wagner--Authorizes Community Solar Pilot Programs that allow citizens and businesses the ability to "subscribe" to receive electricity generated by a small centrally-located solar generation system.
• SB 1394/HB 2303--Sen. Frank Wagner and 10th District Delegate Randy Minchew--Establishes Small Agricultural Generators Program: a new framework for the generation of renewable energy at agricultural facilities and how that energy can be sold to utilities.
• SB 1395--Sen. Frank Wagner--Size of projects eligible for Permit by Rule: increases the allowable maximum size of renewable projects from 100MW to 125MW.

Renewables an economic development opportunity

Diversify our fuel mix with zero-carbon emitting sources

We will work to increase renewable development through public-private partnerships by creating the Virginia Solar Development Authority. And we will introduce legislation to create an energy economic development fund to provide Virginia with yet another tool to attract new, large job creating businesses and help existing businesses grow.

Co-founded GreenTech electric car company, in Mississippi

McAuliffe said that he "would love to have put a plant in Virginia" but that companies have a "fiduciary" duty to investors.

"Okay, you picked Mississippi, so run for governor of Mississippi," Cuccinelli said.

2012: Started GreenTech electric car company & soon resigned

McAuliffe resigned as GreenTech's chairman last year but publicly acknowledged it only this month. Documents have surfaced questioning his explanation for why he located the plant in Mississippi, not Virginia, including memos from Virginia officials expressing "grave doubts" about his business model and suggesting its financing was a "visa-for-sale scheme" for Chinese investors.

McAuliffe said the struggles of GreenTech--which once promised 1,500 jobs but today employs only 78 at its plant--are typical of any start-up in a tough economy. "How many people start electric car companies?" he said in an interview. "How many do it in a recession?"

Ken Cuccinelli has seized on the GreenTech saga in an attempt to attack McAuliffe's chief asset as a candidate, his business acumen.

Capture wind offshore: for jobs & green energy

There is a lot we can do. We've got over 1,000 megawatts of wind power we could be capturing onshore. Building this capacity would result in $2.7 million in new payments to landowners, $9.1 million in new property tax revenues, over 1,500 new construction jobs and over 200 new long-term jobs.

We also know we can create thousands more jobs by encouraging energy efficiency and supporting people in making their homes and businesses more efficient. These kinds of renovations employ construction workers and keep building supplies moving through the economy, while saving homeowners and businesses money every month on their utility bills.

Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases.

Modernize Environmental Policies
National environmental policies, mostly developed in the 1970s, have been remarkably successful in improving the quality of our air and water. But we face a new set of environmental challenges for which the old strategy of centralized, command-and-control regulation is no longer effective.

The old regime of prohibitions and fines levied on polluters is not well equipped to tackle problems such as climate change, contamination of water from such sources as farm and suburban runoff, loss of open lands, and sprawl. Without relaxing our determination to maintain and enforce mandatory national standards for environmental quality, it is time to create more effective, efficient, and flexible ways of achieving those standards.

For example, a system of tradable emissions permits would give factories, power plants, and other sources of air pollution and greenhouse gases a powerful incentive not only to meet but to exceed environmental standards. Decisions about solving local environmental problems should be shifted from Washington to communities, without weakening national standards. Finally, to empower citizens and communities to make sound decisions, government should invest in improving the quality and availability of information about environmental conditions.

Goals for 2010
• Create a domestic emissions trading system to reduce greenhouse gases by 10 percent.
• Promote innovative agreements for community and regional partnerships to achieve national environmental goals and standards through local strategies.
• End government subsidies for sprawl.