Energy In the News

Debra Kahn, ClimateWire reporter
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) will sign a bill today establishing a 12.5 percent renewable portfolio standard in his state. With his action, well over half the country will be committed to achieving renewable energy production targets.

S.B. 211 mandates that 12.5 percent of Ohio's energy from investor-owned utilities come from renewable sources by 2025, with an additional 12.5 percent from "advanced" energy sources that include third-generation nuclear plants, fuel cells and integrated gasification combined cycle coal-fired plants that can handle carbon capture and sequestration.

The renewable standard will start at 0.25 percent in 2009 and ramp up gradually until 2024, when it reaches 12.5 percent. Solar energy also receives its own carve-out, set at 0.004 percent in 2009 and reaching 0.5 percent by 2024. The advanced energy half of the target does not include a gradual phase-in provision.

Ohio gets about 87 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power plants; demand reached 162 million megawatt-hours in 2007, 144 million of which came from investor-owned utilities. According to Amy Gomberg of Environment Ohio, the promise of jobs in the renewable energy industry fueled support for the bill.

"Ohio already has over 100 companies involved in the renewable energy supply chain," she said. "There's been incredible development in the solar industry in northwest Ohio, plus leaders in polymer and materials going into turbines and wind blades. Our renewable business community heavily weighed in in support of this standard to really grow new jobs in Ohio as well as bring in new companies to the state."

According to various observers, Ohio is either the 26th or 27th state to set a renewable goal in law. Vermont's laws, passed in 2005 and 2008, do not set strict targets, only goals. But according to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Vermont's policy counts as an RPS because the state will step in and enforce the targets if they are not met.

Prior to Ohio, the most recent RPS was that of Illinois, which passed its target in August 2007. With the inclusion of Ohio and Vermont, about 64.4 percent of the U.S. population is now living in a state with an RPS.