NEWARK — Global warming will be the center of classroom discussions and
political debates this week, as the Ohio House considers a new energy
bill and college students nationwide participate in Focus the Nation,
an environmental awareness campaign that includes a global warming
teach-in.
In Columbus, the House is hearing testimony
concerning Senate Bill 221, part of which would require utilities to
generate 25 percent of their power from advanced energy sources (fuel
cells, advanced nuclear and clean coal) by 2025. Half of that amount —
12.5 percent — would come from renewable energy sources such as solar,
biomass and wind. The bill also would require utilities to prove
competition exists before moving to market-based pricing.
The Senate unanimously approved the energy bill in late October.
On
the Denison campus, three events are planned to highlight global
climate change, including a panel discussion tonight and a
non-motorized parade and information fair Thursday. In addition,
professors from all disciplines will incorporate global-warming issues
in their classroom discussions.
Ted Frolking, professor of
geosciences at Denison, will discuss methods the European Union has
used to live in energy-efficient ways. He also will sit on the faculty
panel discussion.
“I think most people accept human production
of ... various gases is causing global warming,” he said. “The impacts
of that can be extremely broad and not well understood.”
The professor hopes the dialogue will be proactive, focusing on solutions and the possibilities of new ecofriendly technologies.
Environment
Ohio, an advocacy group, is supportive of the steps Ohio is considering
in the proposed legislation, but it would like to see interim
benchmarks and enforcement standards set. Brandon Cavanagh of
Environment Ohio said the organization has suggested an interim goal of
10 percent renewable energy by 2018, although the exact number is
“under discussion.” Less than 1 percent of Ohio’s energy production
comes now from renewable sources, he said.
“Benchmarks are
important because they signal to companies that there will be demand
for their products,” Cavanagh said. “(Businesses) are saying without
benchmarks, it’s a joke.”
A number of businesses are interested
in locating in Ohio because of the rich supply of skilled manufacturing
labor and the state’s tremendous potential for wind energy, he said.
The House is expected to vote on the Senate bill in late February or March.
In
November, a group of largely Republican Ohio lawmakers sent a letter to
Gov. Ted Strickland and GOP leaders to support wind energy. They cited
several benefits, among them, energy independence, job creation, rural
development and a healthier environment.
A spokesman for Jay
Hottinger, R-Newark, said the legislator is “very supportive of the
renewable energy provisions,” although he foresees substantial
revisions likely as the House continues its deliberations.
According
to a Public Opinion Strategies poll of 600 registered voters in
September, 80 percent of Ohio voters support setting a renewable energy
standard. Nearly 70 percent said they still would be supportive even if
it meant their electricity rates would increase.
The bill as
approved by the Senate also includes a cap that would prevent energy
costs from increasing by more than 3 percent from the rates effective
Feb. 1.
Nonetheless, the Ohio Consumers Council said in a
statement Senate Bill 221 should include more consumer protections, as
well as greater focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Cavanagh said Environment Ohio would also prefer less reliance on advanced energy.
“Before
we consider clean coal, we really need to exhaust our potential for
renewable energy and energy efficiency,” he said. “We wouldn’t even
need clean coal and nuclear in the discussion.”
Tiffany Edwards can be reached at (740) 328-8544 or taedward@newarkadvocate.com.
