Energy Program News

Green energy businesses and advocates applaud the House of Representative’s Alternative Energy Committee for their Bi-Partisan Vote for Solar Schools in Ohio

Columbus, Ohio – On Tuesday afternoon, the Ohio House of Representative’s Alternative Energy Committee voted with strong bi-partisan support to pass Ohio’s Solar Schools Bill (HB 113).  The bill institutes a pilot program for solar schools which would install solar electricity panels in the 70 largest school districts around the state.

"This bill makes sense on so many different levels - school cost containment, green Ohio jobs and environmental education,” commented one of the bills lead sponsors, Representative Mike Foley (D-Cleveland). “It is legislation that helps us continue on the transition to the new energy economy."

The pilot program requires a significant amount of solar energy to be deployed on Ohio schools within the next three years.  The total amount of solar energy that will be produced from the program is equivalent to powering approximately 8,000 homes.

"Putting solar panels on schools is a no-brainer,” said Representative Louis Blessing, Jr. (R-Cincinnati), the other lead sponsor on the bill.  Representative Blessing has been promoting solar policies for the past several years and was successful last year in passing legislation that requires all new schools to be built ‘solar-ready.’ “This bill will boost our economy by putting Ohioans back to work installing solar panels on schools while also making us more energy independent.”

Due to Ohio’s historical involvement in the glass industry and its strong manufacturing base, many Ohio businesses have already become part of the solar photovoltaic supply chain.  Already, more than 115 companies and research institutions are involved in developing solar energy in Ohio.

“This commitment to solar energy will require Ohio’s electricians, roofers, and solar manufacturers to ramp up their businesses right away,” stated Amy Gomberg, Program Director with Environment Ohio. “We applaud Representative Blessing and Representative Foley for their efforts to jump start Ohio’s solar energy industry, make our schools more energy independent, and create a cleaner and healthier future for all Ohioans.”

The solar schools pilot program will:

• Put Ohioans back to work by installing solar panels throughout the 70 largest school districts in Ohio.  The pilot program requires school districts with more than 10,000 students to install 500 kw of solar energy and school districts with 5,000-10,000 students to install 250 kw of solar within the next three years.

• Put Ohio on the path toward becoming the country’s leader in manufacturing solar power by encouraging Ohio’s schools to use Ohio-made solar products spur demand for Ohio’s solar energy industry.

• Make schools more energy independent by allowing schools to finance renewable energy systems over a 30 year period so that they can produce their own clean and sustainable energy, rather than relying on the unstable future of fossil fuels.

• Save schools and Ohio taxpayers’ money by allowing schools to engage with third-party solar energy financers that purchase the panels, install them, and monitor and operate them providing clean solar electricity to schools at a known cost for decades.  This will save schools money in the long run by providing a hedge against rising fossil fuel energy costs.

• Provide an educational opportunity for young Ohioans to learn about solar energy by requiring all schools that receive solar installations to develop an educational display so that the solar system can be incorporated into the school’s curriculum.

• Create a cleaner and healthier future for all Ohioans by producing energy from a renewable resource that is pollution free.

The bill received broad support from solar energy companies, renewable energy advocacy organizations, and workforce training programs.

“We are already training workers to install solar panels at Cincinnati State,” stated Larry Feist, the Program Chair Renewable Energy Major with Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.  “The solar schools program will drive up the demand for our training program by creating more, good, green, jobs for solar panel installers across the state.

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College has been a leader in training students to go into jobs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency fields.

“We commend the members of the Alternative Energy Committee of the Ohio House for their leadership in recognizing the important role our schools play in increasing the use of clean renewable energy in Ohio and the United States.  We look forward to partnering with Ohio schools to help them deploy clean, cost effective solar energy.”  Brian Jacolick, General Manager, North America for SunEdison.

SunEdison has financed, installed and maintains over 250 solar energy installations on government and commercial buildings across the country.  Their company is an example of one of the many companies that offers third party financing options to allow schools to take advantage of solar energy without the upfront capital costs.

“This is an incredible opportunity to educate the next generation of Ohioans about solar energy while creating jobs and a cleaner and healthier future,” concluded Gomberg. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Ohio School Board Association and the other school associations to further develop this program as it approaches a full vote in the House of Representatives,” concluded Gomberg.

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 Environment Ohio is a nonprofit, citizen based, environmental advocacy organization.

Find out more at www.environmentohio.org