Columbus; As Governor Strickland and
Ohio’s leaders consider an energy plan for
Ohio, Environment Ohio joined by consumer, business and
labor leaders from across the state are urging them to prioritize the
development of more homegrown renewable wind energy.
“Ohio’s wind energy
resources, manufacturing base and technological know-how are a recipe for
Ohio to become a leader in the development of clean
renewable energy,” stated Amy Gomberg, Environmental Advocate with Environment
Ohio. “Diversifying our electricity mix by requiring at least 20% of
Ohio’s energy come from clean renewable sources like wind would
create more jobs, provide a bigger boost to our economy and make
Ohio more energy independent than staying the
course.”
Currently, nearly 90 percent of
Ohio’s electricity comes from burning coal while less than one
percent of Ohio’s energy comes from renewable sources. In
2005, Ohio spent $1.5 billion dollars importing 60% of its
power plant fuel supplies used to generate electricity.
Meeting Ohio’s increasing
demand for energy from through 2020 with energy from Ohio’s clean and
renewable wind resources would result in more jobs, higher salaries and a bigger
boost for Ohio’s local economies than staying the course
with increasingly expensive imported fossil fuel
resources.
“Energizing
Ohio’s Economy: Creating Jobs and Reducing Pollution with
Wind Power” a new report released today by Environment Ohio reveals that a 20%
commitment to wind energy by 2020 would result in a:
- Gain of 40,000 person-years of
employment,
- Additional $3.7 billion in wages
paid
- Increase the
Ohio gross state product by $8.2
billion
- Generate up to $1.5 billion
dollars in property taxes to county governments
- Supplement rural landowner’ income
by $200 million dollars
- Avoid 170 million metric tons of
global warming pollution (C02), which is equivalent to taking over 2 million
cars off the road
“Our company believes that we have a
lot of potential to expand in the renewable energy industry. If Ohio
passes a renewable energy standard it will make it much easier for us to move
down that road,” stated Dave Champagne, the Manager of Wind Energy at The
Minster Machine Company in Minster, Ohio. “That policy is
a clear commitment to renewable energy that will help us develop cost effective
renewable technologies, keeping these jobs in
Ohio.”
There are over 70 businesses across
the state of Ohio that are already involved in the
renewable energy supply chain. Ohio companies are involved
in the production of raw materials, manufacturing of component parts,
installation of renewable energy systems, and operation and maintenance of wind
turbines.
“Honeywell is proud to be a supplier
in Ohio’s renewable energy industry. We know that if
Ohio makes a commitment to renewable energy with a renewable energy
standard, our business is bound to grow,” stated Jeff Jacobs, the Technical
Support Manager with Honeywell’s Urbana
location.
Currently 25 other states in the
U.S. have passed renewable energy standards which require that a certain
percentage of a state’s electricity come from clean renewable energy sources
like wind and solar. Illinois is the most recent state to
pass a standard whereby 25% of the state’s electricity must come from renewable
sources by 2025.
States in the Midwest are
increasingly enacting renewable energy standards as a way to not only diversify
their electricity mix but also as a way to lure new businesses and manufacturers
of component parts for renewable energy technologies to their
states.
“Clearly Ohio’s leaders should
support and enact a renewable energy standard that is strong enough to ensure
that Ohio can compete with our neighbors in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan
for new jobs,” stated David Caldwell Director of the Ohio United Steelworkers
Union. “Because of Pennsylvania’s commitment to developing wind
energy, Gamesa, a large manufacturer of wind turbines recently established their
American corporate headquarters in Pennsylvania and
created hundreds of union jobs.”
Tim Burga, Chief of Staff for Ohio
AFL-CIO stated, “We believe that an energy plan for Ohio
should be an integrated policy, including a unique standard for renewable energy
sources such as wind. This will be a catalyst for creating the much needed
sustainable jobs in Ohio.”
In addition to creating more jobs,
increasing local tax revenue and making Ohio more energy independent,
advocates contend that a commitment to renewable energy will be a good deal for
Ohio consumers.
“With stronger environmental
regulations on the horizon and the increasing costs of fossil fuels, renewable
energy and efficiency programs are all the more attractive to ratepayers.
Choices we make today will affect the electric prices and environmental quality
of our future generations,” said Janine Migden-Ostrander, Ohio Consumers’
Counsel. “Residential consumers need the long-term benefits of
Ohio’s untapped renewable energy potential coupled with
energy efficiency programs that would lessen our demand for
electricity.”
Environment Ohio’s Energizing Ohio’s
Economy report also showed that increasing Ohio’s wind energy generation would
significantly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the leading cause of global
warming, as well as, speed progress in reducing soot, smog and mercury
pollution, which damage public health.
“Ohio needs to
take decisive action now if we are to mitigate the worst effects of global
warming. Ohio is ranked as the 4th largest emitter of
global warming C02 pollution in the country” stated Ellen Hawkey, the Sierra
Club Ohio Chapter Conservation Program Manager. “As congress considers global
warming pollution limits, Ohio needs to diversify our
energy resources by investing in energy efficiency technologies and renewable
energy sources.”
“Making a commitment to renewable
energy is a win-win-win situation. It is good for jobs, the economy, and the
environment. I urge Governor Strickland and Ohio’s legislative leaders make it a
priority to pass a 20% by 2020 renewable energy standard by the end of the
year,” concluded Gomberg.
