Proposed legislation would have Ohio back away from green jobs in utility industry

Bill Gaston, an employee of Xunlight Corporation, measures a piece of flexible solar panel at the Toledo office. THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT Enlarge | Photo Reprints

COLUMBUS — Four years after Ohio became a leader in trying to force renewable and advanced technology sources of power onto the menus of electric utilities, the state may be preparing to back away.

State Sen. Kris Jordan (R., Powell) this week introduced a bill that would strip from Ohio's 2007 rewrite of energy law the mandate that utilities find 25 percent of their power from such sources. Current law further requires that half of that must come from renewables like wind, solar, and landfill gases.

"With one of the worst recessions in recent memory still fresh in our minds, the last thing we need to do in Ohio is drive up the cost of energy for both Ohio families and Ohio businesses, and that's exactly what the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard does," Mr. Jordan said.

He questioned the focus on "green jobs."

Such a move could have an impact on northwest Ohio where a new solar panel industry has been burgeoning. Solar power was the only source of renewable energy to receive a special carve-out in the bill, requiring that at least half a percentage point of the renewable standard must come from power generated by solar panels.

"Advanced" sources under the law refers to such things as nuclear, fuel cells, and cleaner coal technology. Most of the electricity used in Ohio is generated from coal.

The fate of Ohio's new energy law has been a question mark since last year's gubernatorial election.

Democratic former Gov. Ted Strickland had considered it one of his most significant accomplishments in office, citing the development of solar research and related businesses in the Toledo area as well as promises of the development of solar panel fields, wind farms, and garbage-fueled steam plants.

But Republican Gov. John Kasich sent mixed messages, generally saying he supported the thresholds but raising concerns over its cost to utilities and consumers.

The current law contains a provision that if compliance with the mandates should raise consumers' bills by more than 3 percent, they would be suspended.

"Sen. Jordan's bill would roll back the clock on clean energy in Ohio," said Julian Boggs, of Environment Ohio. "The Senate should reject the bill quickly so we can get back to the work of building Ohio's clean energy future. There is important work to be done, and the last thing we need is to be looking backward."