The Silicon Valley of the East - Virginia as a Hotspot for Data Centers and AI presented by University of Richmond Faculty and Students

Date/Time: Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Location: RF & P Forum room at the Science Museum of Virginia (2500 W. Broad St, Richmond, 23220) - Map | Directions

Join us for Virginia as a Hotspot for Data Centers and AI with University of Richmond Faculty Dr. Mary Finley-Brook, Dr. Kyle Redican, Annie Evans, Kyle Jenkins, Beth Zizzamia, and students Sophie Tanner, Sydney Cassady, and Wenyi Liu. 

Virginia has been referred to as the “Silicon Valley of the East” due to its high concentration of hyperscale data centers. Working alongside community partners, a team from the University of Richmond have been exploring the economic, political, social and ecological ramifications of Virginia hosting hundreds of data centers. The geographies and ecologies of cloud computing are important to understand with rapid growth projected as a result of prolific AI use. The uptick in energy, water and land use and the uncertainty of supply chains for chips and other components creates uncertainty, perhaps even looming shocks according to experts. Policymakers and community advocates who become more informed about this sector can better serve to mitigate harms for society and ecology. Analyzing recent trends and unpacking predictions improves capacity to make informed decisions for responsible use of technology.

Thus, our team aims to support the public to obtain information, resources and skills. For example, researchers in the Spatial Analysis Lab launched an app for the public to see distances from data centers to cultural sites, parks and schools. The University team partnered with the Virginia Geographic Alliance and New American History to host a virtual academy about data science sustainability for teachers and educators in sciences, technology and the arts. Meanwhile, staff with the Boatwright Library have compiled data center and AI subject guides to share helpful resources, while professors in the Department of Geography, Environment and Sustainability have engaged students and community partners in research projects. Our team will share an interactive display of research results from the past two years during which time project collaborators included Sierra Club, Henrico Conservation Action Network, and the Mattaponi Nation. See bios at this link:  The Silicon Valley of the East - Virginia as a Hotspot for Data Centers and AI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluating the Impacts of Utility-Scale Solar Development on Farm and Forest Land in Virginia with Dr. Damian Pitt

Date/Time: Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Location: RF & P Forum room at the Science Museum of Virginia (2500 W. Broad St, Richmond, 23220) - Map | Directions

Dr. Pitt, Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), will present the results of two recent studies examining the impacts of utility-scale solar development on farms, forests, and other types of land cover in Virginia. The research includes an assessment of the current impacts of the 94 utility-scale projects operating in Virginia as of June, 2024, as well as projections of the future impacts of potential future solar development scenarios.

Dr. Damian Pitt is an Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Studies and Planning, in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He also serves as the Associate Director of Policy and Community Engagement for the VCU Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment (ISEE). His work examines opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through energy conservation, renewable energy use, land use and transportation policies. He focuses on community-engaged and applied research, which brings together the talent and resources of the university to work on diverse collaborations that benefit the people and communities of the commonwealth.

He has written numerous academic articles and professional reports, including recent studies for the Virginia Department of Energy, the City of Richmond’s Office of Sustainability, and Advanced Energy United. In 2022 he released a study quantifying the energy savings and economic benefits of Virginia’s low-income energy efficiency programs funded by the state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Inventory (RGGI), which featured prominently in the public discourse around the state’s efforts to withdraw from that program. His most recent research investigates the benefits, opportunities, and challenges related to both small-scale and large-scale solar energy development, including efforts to examine and contextualize the degree to which large utility-scale solar projects are impacting forests, cropland, and other types of land cover in Virginia.

 

 

We are proud to endorse the following Richmond City Council candidates: 

District 1: Andrew (Gumby) Breton

District 2: Katherine Jordan 

District 3: Carra Rose

District 4: Sarah Abubaker

District 5: Stephanie Lynch

District 9: Stephanie Starling

Click HERE to see the FOJG's Richmond Clean Energy & Climate Justice Budget Recommendations for fiscal year 2025.  These were sent to Mayor Stoney and the Richmond City Council.

The following questionnaire was provided to 2023 Henrico County Board of Supervisors candidates: Henrico-county-BOS-candidates-Questionnaire-2023.pdf.  Please see the questionnaire responses below to learn about the FOJG Ex Comm Endorsed Candidates for 2023.

• Jody-Rogish-Responses.pdf
• Misty-Climate-Forum-Responses.pdf
• Roscoe-Cooper-Sierra-Club-FoJG-responses.pdf
• Stephen-Rast-BoS-Forum-Responses.pdf
• Tyrone-Nelson-response.pdf

Click the link below to view the Sierra Club-Virginia Henrico Board of Supervisors candidate forum from September 13th, 2023. Candidates were asked questions about climate change, environmental justice, land use and education.

https://youtu.be/wuAAfGLLsGQ?feature=shared