Virginia’s natural energy resources represent a valuable asset and significantly contribute to the economic well-being of the Commonwealth. These resources include hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal, and other alternative energy sources, yet the primary energy products in Virginia include the fossil fuels coal, natural gas, and oil.  Although occurrences of uranium have been investigated in the past and continue to be of interest today, uranium has never been mined, and the regulatory framework for mining remains to be developed. 

In 2018, natural gas fueled 53% of Virginia's electricity net generation, nuclear power provided almost 31%, coal fueled about 10% and renewable resources, primarily biomass, supplied nearly 7%.  At the end of 2017, Virginia ranked third in the nation, after Colorado and New Mexico, in coalbed methane proved reserves, and two Virginia coalbed methane fields are ranked among the top 100 natural gas fields in the United States (EIA, 2019). View the U.S. Energy Information Administration Virginia State Energy Profile.



Coal
Energy Resource
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Coal
Natural Gas
Energy Resource
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Natural Gas
Oil
Energy Resource
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Oil
Geothermal
Energy Resource
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Geothermal
Uranium
Energy Resource
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Uranium
Renewable Energy
Energy Resource
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Renewable Energy



Selected References:

Dietrich, R.V., 1990, Minerals of Virginia, 1990, 474 p.

Gilmer, A. K., Enomoto, C. B., Lovett, J. A., and Spears, D. B., 2005, Mineral and fossil fuel production in Virginia (1999-2003): Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Open-File Report 05-04, 77 p.

Lassetter, W.L., 2019, Recent trends in the economic value of non-fuel mineral commodities produced in Virginia: Virginia Division of Geology and Mineral Resources Open File Report 2019-01, 33 x 48 inch poster.

Sweet, P.C., Lassetter, W.L., and Sherwood, W.C., 2016, Non-fuel mineral resources in Virginia, in Bailey, C.M., Sherwood, W.C., Eaton, L.S., and Powars, D.S., (eds.), The Geology of Virginia: Virginia Museum of Natural History Special Publication 18, p. 407-441.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1999, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1998: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 153, 25 p.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1998, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1997: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 151, 25 p.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1997a, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1996: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 150, 27 p.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1997b, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1995: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 146, 27 p.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1996, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1994: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 142, 26 p.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1995, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1993: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 139, 27 p.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1994, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1992: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 133, 30 p.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1993, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1991: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 128, 18 p.

Sweet, P.C., and Nolde, J.E., 1992, Coal. oil and gas, and industrial and metallic minerals industries in Virginia, 1990: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 125, 17 p.