A Virginia bill aims to establish a buy-all, sell-all program for agricultural customers to sell electricity from renewable energy systems up to 1.5 MW, or 150% of historic on-site demand, to utilities at a rate that is at least equal to the utility’s avoided cost of energy and capacity. The program created by S.B. 1394 would take effect July 1, 2017, as an option alongside net metering for generators that also qualify for net metering. It would then replace net metering beginning July 1, 2019.

Existing agricultural customers participating in net metering as of July 1, 2019, could make a one-time election to participate in the new program or be grandfathered into net metering for a total of 25 years.