Ohio Advanced Energy Roadmap Will Grow the Economy, Create Jobs, and Restore Competitive Advantage

COLUMBUS, May 17, 2018 – Today, Ohio Advanced Energy Economy (Ohio AEE) announced it has delivered a policy roadmap to the Ohio gubernatorial campaigns of Republican nominee Mike DeWine and Democratic nominee Rich Cordray outlining how advanced energy can transform the Ohio economy. The policy roadmap, “Advanced Energy Roadmap for Ohio: How the next governor can capture the economic benefits of diversifying Ohio’s energy portfolio—and drive job creation and economic growth,” outlines key market-based policy considerations that would allow the next governor of Ohio to take advantage of the development and manufacturing of advanced energy resources while also benefitting from the thousands of jobs and billions of investment dollars that come from embracing this growth  industry. 

“Advanced energy supports over 105,000 jobs in Ohio, but policy uncertainty over the last six years has artificially slowed the growth of this booming industry,” said Ray Fakhoury, legislative affairs director for Ohio Advanced Energy Economy. “Our roadmap sets a new course that takes an all-of-the-above approach to spur advanced energy growth. We urge Ohio’s next governor to embrace policies that harness the economic potential of the advanced energy industry to grow the Ohio economy and create even more high-quality jobs across the state.”

In its policy roadmap, AEE presented five key principles for the campaigns to consider:

1. Stabilize and expand market-based mechanisms to accelerate deployment of innovative, cost-effective renewable energy resources and energy efficiency for all Ohioans. Uncertainty over Ohio’s direction on advanced energy has discouraged investment in the state and hampered the growth of the industry as a whole.

2. Eliminate barriers that prevent Ohio businesses from accessing low-cost wind energy. The current wind setback standards have acted as a de facto moratorium for the wind industry and Ohio continues to lose out on billions of dollars of investment to neighboring states. Removing this government barrier would allow the market to function, driving access to wind energy resources for corporate customers to invest in clean, affordable renewable power within the state. 

3. Accelerate adoption of electric vehicles, including commercial fleets, and support charging infrastructure deployment in Ohio. Despite growing national demand, the lack of sufficient charging infrastructure and a supportive regulatory structure remain roadblocks to greater adoption of EVs in Ohio.

4. Remove barriers to investments in technologies and services that reduce energy costs and consumption while increasing customer choices and control. To provide the most value to consumers and the grid, market rules must ensure a competitive market for distributed energy resources (DERs) like wind and solar while aligning the utility business model with consumer interests.

5. Modernize Ohio’s electricity systems by building upon PUCO’s PowerForward initiative to deliver benefits for consumers and enhance grid reliability. As advanced energy deployment increases, Ohio must be prepared to integrate these new and innovative technologies into the existing system and to take advantage of the benefits they can provide.

This policy roadmap lays out opportunities each candidate will have to leverage advanced energy policies as economic development tools, securing their legacy as a job-creating governor for the state of Ohio.

About Ohio Advanced Energy Economy

Ohio Advanced Energy Economy is the business voice behind Ohio’s advanced energy industry. Our organization works to make the energy all Ohioans use more clean, secure, and affordable. Advanced energy encompasses a broad range of products and services that constitute the best available technologies for meeting energy needs today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.ohioadvancedenergy.org and track the latest industry news @OHAdvEnergyEcon.