You've heard the numbers: Ohio has lost more than 200,000 manufacturing jobs so far this
decade.
But state officials say many of those could be replaced by 2030 if Ohio's manufacturing strength
can be tapped in the cause of renewable energy.
"This is one of our best bets, particularly on the manufacturing side," said Mark Barbash, chief
economic-development officer for the state Department of Development.
"It also offers the opportunity for additional research and development jobs."
In 2006, about 3,000 Ohioans had jobs related to renewable energy, according to a report by the
American Solar Energy Society. But the report, funded by the Department of Development, predicted
that could rise to 174,000 by 2030 under the right market conditions and aggressive pursuit by the
state.
The fervor surrounding "green" energy likely has never been stronger in the U.S., thanks to
rising energy prices, Barbash said. He declined to provide details, but said the state is courting
six foreign companies interested in opening manufacturing operations or research and development
centers.
The big emphasis, he said, is on wind energy.
"We look particularly at wind as an incredible opportunity for 'green-collar' jobs," he said.
"The state's business infrastructure is absolutely attuned to wind. Making wind turbines is kind of
(like) bending metal."
That kind of work is still common in Ohio, despite manufacturing's struggles. Gov. Ted
Strickland's administration wants to spur existing manufacturers to build components used to
generate alternative energy.
One company, Minster Machining in western Ohio, is considering doing just that. The 112-year-old
operation, founded as a blacksmith shop in 1896, is looking at making castings and components for
companies that make wind turbines, said David Champagne, business manager for the company's wind
division. The company hopes to make a decision by the end of this year.
"It's very exciting to see the potential market for the next 15 to 20 years," he said. "The nice
thing about it and the reason it makes sense is it fits our existing capabilities very well."
To encourage such projects, the state freed up $21 million in Third Frontier funds for "advanced
energy." That's Strickland's term for everything from wind energy to coal technology that captures
carbon dioxide.
About 60 businesses and groups have applied for Third Frontier money, and the state will decide
next month which ones get up to $1 million in funding.
Barbash said that the state's chances of adding renewable-energy jobs will improve if
Strickland's proposed advanced-energy portfolio standard becomes law. The idea is part of a
much-debated electricity bill in the state House that would require 25 percent of Ohio's
electricity to come from advanced sources by 2025.
Half of that would come from renewable sources, such as wind. More than 20 states have similar
requirements, and Ohio will lose out on investment without one, said Erin Bowser, state director of
Environment Ohio, an environmental advocacy group.
"Some manufacturers are already able to transform their businesses," she said. "That said, given
our extensive manufacturing base, we could and should be experiencing an even bigger boom when it
comes to creating 'green-collar' jobs."
paul.wilson@dispatch.com
