Attacks on Renewables Proliferate at Legislature

It is hard enough to get any legislation promoting renewable energy passed in the West Virginia Legislature. But in 2025 there have been several bills introduced by hard-right legislators, the effect of which would be to undermine the development use of renewable energy.

The first type of attack seeks to use the tax code. Delegate Ridenour from Jefferson County and several others have sponsored HB 2471, which would eliminate the tax credit available to corporations that build or operate solar, biomass, geothermal or wind energy systems. What’s more, HB 2471 would require these systems to be set back a minimum of one mile from dwellings and require corporate operators to provide proof of $400 million liability insurance for each 100 acres of the site for cleanup and restoration in case of a natural or manmade disaster.

SB 57, sponsored by Senator Phillips, would impose a $3 per megawatt tax on electricity produced by wind and solar installations in the state.

Another approach is used by SB 510 introduced in the Senate by freshman Senator Rose, an avowed supporter of coal. This bill would prohibit the Public Service Commission from considering costs associated with the construction or decommissioning wind and solar installations from a utility’s rate base. The effect of this would be to make it impossible to fund renewable infrastructure in the state in the same way that coal and gas generation infrastructure is financed.

Other transparent attacks on renewables are Senator Smith’s “wildlife impact fee” on wind power installations that inadvertently kill birds found in SB 21, and the complete elimination of net metering, which enables residential solar panel users to get a credit on their electric bills for the power generated. This is elimination is proposed in HB 2568 sponsored by Delegate Kump of Berkeley County, who usually devotes his time to protecting and advancing gun ownership and use.