Energy In the News

With the success of a federal energy bill being passed by the U.S. House last week, environmental groups are pushing for Ohio lawmakers to transition to cleaner energy.

On Tuesday, Environment Ohio issued a report calling for the state to shift from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy like wind and solar. The report estimates the cost of using fossil fuels will rise by 58 percent by 2030, reaching up to $4,576 per person per year.

“Ohio’s economy is in the midst of a massive transition. We are shifting our steel mills to serve the wind industry, using our glass sector to manufacture solar panels, and turning our electricians and roofers into solar installers and energy efficiency retrofitters,” said Jennifer Herron, an organizer with Environment Ohio. “Instead of sitting on the sidelines while the costs of fossil fuels continue to mount, Congress and our state leaders should focus on repowering Ohio with clean, renewable energy that will create jobs and reduce pollution.”

To that end, a bill has been introduced at the Statehouse to institute a pilot program for schools to install renewable energy systems, including solar panels, geothermal systems or wind turbines in the 70 largest school districts in the state. 

Supporters, including Rep. Mike Foley, D-Cleveland, say the bill will contain school costs, create green jobs in Ohio and improve environmental education.

Some in charge of running utilities and providing electricity to large manufacturers, especially in the Midwest, say the large baseloads of electricity needed cannot be produced using wind and solar only.

“It’s good from a theoretical standpoint, but you can’t run a utility in the Midwest without coal or nuclear,” said Napoleon City Manager Jon Bisher, who also sits on the board of American Municipal Power, a corporation which owns and operates electric facilities for member communities. Napoleon is a member community.

Bisher said Ohio has had requirements in place for electric utilities to have a certain percentage of renewable energy sources in their portfolios. For Napoleon, it is the third largest consumer of electricity produced by the AMP-owned wind farm near Bowling Green, and it also owns a share in a hydroelectric plant AMP owns on the Ohio River.

“We believe in Ohio the renewable side will have to be met with hydro,” Bisher said. “Wind is a tough go because there’s not enough of it.”

He said studies show wind power in Ohio has a reliability of about 20 percent, meaning 80 percent of the time wind is not producing electricity. Results are better out West, sometimes reaching 50 percent.

“Also, we get the best wind in the spring and fall, when demand is usually lowest,” Bisher added.

He said AMP is planning at least three more hydroelectric plants along the Ohio River. The plants use water from the locks to spin turbines.

Bisher said solar farms seem to be working well in desert areas like Arizona, but the jury is still out on those in Ohio. He added northwest Ohio has lots of flat land, which would be required for solar panels, but usually that land is being used to produce food.

Jobs, tough to come by in this economy, are another driving force behind the clean energy movement.

Geoff Greenfield, founder and president of Third Sun Solar and Wind of Columbus, said the renewable energy field hires more than just laborers, although an increased manufacturing base is possible.

He also said thousands can be put to work installing solar panels, especially if the federal energy bill and Ohio’s solar schools bills are passed.

His company employs between 24 and 48 employees, counting subcontractors, and has existed for 10 years.

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