IEE Legislative Activity
S.B. 221 - Energy Restructuring
The Ohio General Assembly recent passed comprehensive legislation, S.B. 221, dealing with electricity prices and sources of electricity. The Ohio General Assembly and Governor Ted Strickland acted to revise Ohio's laws focused on electricity pricing to avoid what was anticipated to be up to 70 percent price increases for electricity in 2009 when Ohio transitioned to a fully deregulated market for energy. In addition to provisions focused on the regulatory structure and operating environment for utility companies, S.B. 221 contains numerous provisions focused on alternative energy including: sections focused on net metering and distributed generation reform; new energy efficiency standards; policy support for alternative energy, new greenhouse gas emission reporting requirements; and most significantly, a new "renewable portfolio standard (RPS)" requirement in Ohio. S.B. 221's RPS requires 25 percent of electricity sold in Ohio to come from "alternative energy sources" by 2025. Of that 25 percent, at least half (12.5 percent) must be generated from renewable energy sources, including a requirement that one-half of one percent be from solar energy.
Click here for a copy of an analysis of S.B. 221 as it passed the Ohio Senate and a copy of a chart outlining the RPS provisions of S.B. provided by IEE non-profit partner "Ohio Advanced Energy."
OSU Professor Steven Ringel presented testimony about the opportunities for photovoltaic energy in the Senate Public Utilities Committee as part of its deliberations on S.B. 221
The IEE also worked to ensure language was included in S.B. 221 that allows universities to apply for and receive any available state funding for advanced energy research projects and educational outreach programs.
H.B. 357 - Comprehensive Alternative Energy Plan
H.B. 357, sponsored by Rep. Jim McGregor (R-Gahanna) contains numerous provisions impacting various aspects of alternative energy in Ohio including: wind energy development, oil and gas development, geologic storage of carbon dioxide, energy efficiency standards, net metering, and the creation of an Ohio Advanced Energy Manufacturing Center. This legislation proposes a renewable portfolio standard that would require 22 percent of electricity sold in Ohio to come from renewable sources by 2020. Click here for a copy of H.B. 357 and the corresponding LSC analysis.
In an effort to build legislative awareness about this issue, the OSU Institute for Energy and the Environment coordinated two presentations to the House Alternative Energy Committee. On March 7, 2007, Dr. Greg Washington presented an overview of energy at both the State and Federal level. On April 18, 2007, Dr. Bobby Moser gave a presentation about opportunities for biomass energy in Ohio.
At the request of Chair Jim McGregor, Dr. Benn Coifmann developed a white paper on traffic management and energy efficiency that Rep. McGregor used as the foundation for provisions in H.B. 357 that would require local governments to improve and maintain traffic control signals to minimize the wasting of fuel by motor vehicles.
H.B. 487 - Ohio Renewable Energy Authority of Ohio
H.B. 487, sponsored by Rep. Jim McGregor (R-Gahanna) creates the Ohio Renewable Energy Authority (OREA) to provide various forms of financial assistance to renewable energy businesses located in Ohio. In addition, it contains a renewable portfolio standards that will require 25% of electricity supplied to Ohio consumers by the year 2025 to be from a specified alternative energy source.
The IEE is working with staff in the Ohio House of Representatives on language to allow universities to tap into funding from the Ohio Renewable Energy Authority for both research and educational outreach activities.
Click here for a copy of H.B. 487 or the corresponding LSC analysis.
Note: Many ideas/provisions contained in H.B. 487 were eventually incorporated into S.B. 221 prior to its recent passage.
Ohio Fuel Production Task Force
IEE Associate Director Kate Bartter was appointed to the Ohio Fuel Production Task Force by Senate President Bill Harris. The Ohio Fuel Production Task Force was created by H.B. 371, passed during the 126th General Assembly, which authorized the creation of a 13 member task force made up of legislators, farmers, cabinet members, representatives of the petroleum industry and the public to study the opportunities for and barriers to fuel production in Ohio. The Task Force is charged with preparing a report on this issue for the Governor and legislative leaders.
On April 3, 2007, Dr. Stephen Myers, Director of the Ohio Business Innovation Center, gave a presentation to the Ohio Fuel Production Task Force on opportunities to create more biorefineries in Ohio.