Renewable energy is still under attack in Ohio.
Ohio Senate Bill 52, which became effective October 2021, subjects renewable energy projects to a new layer of government regulation in addition to the state process. The bill allows counties to ban renewable energy projects by creating “exclusion zones,” or areas where a project cannot be sited.
SB 52 acts as an effective moratorium on solar energy production. The same regulation does not affect dirty energy sources like coal and natural gas. In a clear double-standard, SB 52 ensures that these county policies only impact renewable energy projects in Ohio.
Ohio cannot afford to exclude renewable energy sources from our energy strategy.
Utility Scale Solar, or industrial solar, is a safe and reliable way to increase energy generated without increasing pollution or waste. To be considered utility scale, solar projects need to generate 50+ megawatts (MW) of electricity. When considering the location of these projects, developers and the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) weigh the need for increased local energy production, the size, and the location of the project.
1 MW is needed to power 300 homes. The smallest of utility scale solar projects creates enough energy to power 15,000 homes, offsetting the need for that electricity to come from other sources like coal. This can be achieved by a solar project with 250-400 acres of panels.
A quarter of Ohio Counties have already banned solar projects.
One by one, counties across the state are banning solar projects even though Ohio needs to generate more energy. 25 counties have put a ban into place: Adams, Allen, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Columbiana, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Greene, Hancock, Henry, Licking, Logan, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Ottawa, Putnam, Seneca, Stark, Union and Wayne. While others, like Knox County, will likely have a ban following the November 2024 election with county commissioners on the ballot.
Projects that had already started the filing process with the OPSB before SB 52 went into effect in 2021 are “grandfathered” in. In these cases, restrictions enabled by the bill do not affect the proposed project.
In many counties, these grandfathered projects are the last chance for local solar energy large enough to reliably feed into the grid.
Fighting for more local production of renewable energy, Ohio Citizen Action is currently working to empower local residents to share their support for solar projects in 5 counties.
Frasier Solar by Open Roads Renewables, Knox County
Clear Mountain Energy Center by Savion, Clermont County
Stark Solar by Samsung C&T Renewables, Stark County
Grange Solar by Open Roads Renewables, Logan County
Eastern Cottontail by EDF Renewables, Fairfield County
By reaching out directly to residents in these project areas, we fight against misinformation in one-on-one conversations, work to build a community of solar supporters, and urge the OPSB to approve these utility scale solar projects.