Buckeye State Goes Green: Ohio Passes Renewable Energy Standard

The Ohio state Senate unanimously passed legislation setting strong new renewable energy and energy efficiency standards last week, sending the bill on to Governor Ted Strickland for signature. Sub. Senate Bill 221 establishes a 12.5% by 2025 renewable energy standard (RES), making the Buckeye State the 26th state in the nation to adopt a renewable energy requirement for electric utilities (see this previous post on numbers 24 and 25). The legislation also includes a strong energy efficiency standard that is expected to result in a 22% cumulative reduction in energy usage by 2025.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, the Ohio RES is expected to result in 5,000-7,000 MW of new wind power capacity by 2025 and early-year targets will drive 650-750 MW of new wind power installation over the next 4 years. The bill also includes a small solar “set-aside” to help boost solar power in the Buckeye State.

To ensure significant in-state renewable energy development, at least half of all new renewable energy generation must occur in Ohio, and the other half can occur in neighboring states. The legislation is expected to help jump start interest in wind and solar manufacturing in Ohio’s world-class manufacturing centers and could spark a “green collar jobs” boom in a state that has been hurt by the steady loss of manufacturing sector jobs.

The renewable energy legislation has national significance. As Ohio becomes the 26th state to adopt an RES, the majority of US states now have renewable energy standards on the books. In addition, Ohio is the fourth largest electricity consuming state in the nation (behind only Texas, California and Florida), ensuring that this state policy will move the needle nationally for renewable energy.

[Solar Ohio image credit: GreenEnergyOhio.org]

About Jesse

Jesse is a graduate of the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon (Class of 2006). While at the U of O, Jesse worked on a number of campus sustainability initiatives, including helping kick-start the Campus Climate Challenge at the UO and starting an initiative to bring clean wind power to UO dorm students. Jesse is still an active youth climate activist and recently helped found the Cascade Climate Network, the first ever, region-wide effort by Northwest youth to launch a coordinated campaign for climate solutions and a sustainable, just, and prosperous future. Jesse currently works as a renewable energy policy analyst and advocate with the Renewable Northwest Project, a Portland, OR-based non-profit promoting renewable energy development in the Pacific Northwest. He recently helped win a major clean energy victory in Oregon with the passage of the Oregon Renewable Energy Act which establishes a 25% by 2025 renewable energy standard for Oregon utilities. Jesse is also a veteran blogger, having maintained the energy and climate change news and commentary blog, WattHead for the past two and a half years.

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