Latest news with #OhioPowerSitingBoard
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why the solar industry is counting Ohio's newest energy law as a win
A new state law aimed at expanding gas and nuclear power plants in Ohio may also provide opportunities for solar developers — if they can overcome other policy and political barriers. Solar industry advocates say House Bill 15, signed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in mid-May, contains several technology-neutral provisions that could benefit clean energy projects, including property tax breaks for siting them on brownfields and former coal mines. The law also loosens restrictions on behind-the-meter electricity generation and lowers the overall tax burden for new power plants. 'This is just smart economic development. We need the energy,' said Michael Benson, board president of Green Energy Ohio, whose members include a variety of clean energy companies. In his view, a market-based approach should work in favor of renewables and battery storage, which can generally be deployed more quickly and cheaply than power plants that burn fossil fuels. Much of the public discussion around the legislation focused on its repeal of coal plant subsidies mandated by HB 6, the 2019 law at the heart of Ohio's ongoing public corruption scandal. HB 15 also will end the use of 'electric security plans,' which let utilities add special charges to customer bills without reviewing all revenue and expenses in a full rate case. But many of the measures in HB 15 are meant to encourage new electricity production in the state. 'We should open the market to dispatchable energy generation to address future energy shortages,' the bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland), said in his February testimony, in which he also noted growing energy demand from data centers and other large electricity users, and energy supply issues raised by grid operator PJM Interconnection. The term 'dispatchable' is often used to refer to power plants that can be turned on or off as demand requires, as opposed to solar or wind without battery backup. Most of the law's incentives for new energy production are technology-neutral, however. Under HB 15, new electricity production on brownfields and minelands designated as priority investment areas will be exempt from property taxes for five years. Grants of up to $10 million each will be available to clean up or prepare the sites for construction. And the Ohio Power Siting Board will speed up its review of energy projects in those areas. 'It's a huge opportunity,' said Rebecca Mellino, a climate and energy policy associate for The Nature Conservancy in Ohio. Last year the organization estimated that Ohio has more than 600,000 acres of minelands and brownfields suitable for renewable energy production. The sites often have good access to roads and transmission lines, too. As Mellino sees it, solar in priority areas would avoid objections raised by some people about displacing farmland. And counties with renewable energy bans could presumably modify them to allow development in priority investment areas without affecting other parts of their jurisdictions, she suggested. The law also removes a restriction that has required behind-the-meter generation to be located on the premises of the customer who is using the power. The change might allow data centers to tap into gas-fired backup generators on an adjacent property, for example. But it could also create new opportunities for clean energy-powered microgrids, in which a group of customers share solar panels and a large battery. 'That is significant, all by itself,' because it provides more flexibility, said Dylan Borchers, an energy attorney with law firm Bricker Graydon in Columbus, Ohio. Just as importantly, the law 'allows essentially a portfolio approach for customers and energy resources.' In other words, multiple businesses could form a shared 'self-power' system with equipment for electricity generation or battery storage on adjacent land or on premises controlled by one or more of them. Such a system could include numerous generation or storage facilities, allowing a cluster of data centers, factories, or other large energy users to combine multiple behind-the-meter resources, whether they be natural gas, solar, batteries, or small nuclear when it becomes available. The ability to combine resources means customers wouldn't necessarily need lots of land to add renewable energy, said Benson. 'If you want the most power quickly and cleanly, you can use rooftops and parking lots and build out a lot of small-scale generation.' The law also reduces the overall tax burden for new electricity production. Local governments may collect less revenue but still welcome the jobs and other spending that come with new energy investments. And less stringent requirements might even benefit some communities when new power generation is sited, Borchers suggested. Ohio's current tangible personal property tax rates have been so high that companies have often used 'payments in lieu of taxes,' also known as PILOT programs, to avoid getting walloped by huge tax bills as soon as energy production starts. But counties face somewhat strict requirements for how they must allocate PILOT payments. Developers that take advantage of the lower tax rates available under HB 15 may have more financial flexibility to be able to fund some projects that local governments want most, such as a new fire station or community center, Borchers said. Taken together, the provisions in HB 15 promise to make it easier to build more solar in the state, industry representatives say. The governor and legislature saw 'the urgent need to expand energy generation as Ohio confronts rapidly increasing demand and the threat of escalating costs and supply shortages,' said Will Hinman, executive director for the Utility Scale Solar Energy Coalition of Ohio. 'House Bill 15 is a critical step towards addressing these challenges by reducing barriers to energy development — including utility-scale solar projects.' The law still requires projects to meet multiple criteria to benefit from its provisions. For example, power-generating facilities and transmission lines exceeding certain thresholds may need approval from the Ohio Power Siting Board. The state's director of development must approve local governments' designations of priority investment areas. And self-power systems have to be independent of the main power grid. The biggest downside is that the new law left in place a 2021 statute, Senate Bill 52, which requires utility-scale renewable energy developments to get local approval, said Molly Bryden, a climate and sustainability researcher with think tank Policy Matters Ohio. Under that earlier law, 34 of Ohio's 88 counties have banned new solar generation in all or part of their territories. Even where the local law doesn't bar a new project, local officials can still block projects before a developer even seeks a permit from the Ohio Power Siting Board. A county representative and a township representative also get to vote with state siting board members on whether facilities get a permit, even for some projects that were in the grid operator's queue before the 2021 law. Another law took effect in early 2023, letting local governments limit small solar and wind projects that connect to the grid but don't otherwise fall within the scope of the 2021 law. Requirements of the 2021 and 2023 laws don't apply to generation fueled by natural gas, coal, or nuclear power. And Ohio's high court has ruled local governments can't ban or regulate gas wells and related infrastructure or even enforce broader zoning laws that would prevent such development. Lawmakers also cut out provisions from an earlier version of HB 15 that would have allowed community solar development. Community solar lets residential customers save money by sharing the electricity from a local solar array, which doesn't have to be on their own property. 'There's still a real need for permitting reform,' Bryden said.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Another big Ohio solar project bites the dust
Months of proactive community engagement appeared to be paying off for the developer of the Grange Solar Grazing Center agrivoltaics project in central Ohio. Open Road Renewables knew it faced an uphill battle before the state energy-siting board, whose recent deference to local opponents has helped make Ohio one of the most challenging places in the country to build large solar arrays. So the company showed up early and often in Logan County, listening to residents' feedback and committing millions of dollars in donations for community investments. As public comments rolled into state regulators, the developer reviewed the submissions last month and found a clear majority of those weighing in supported its plan. The analysis filtered out hundreds of repeat comments, at least 140 of which came from just 16 people who mostly opposed the project. Optimism around Grange Solar lasted only days, however. On Feb. 21, staff at the Ohio Power Siting Board recommended denying the project's permit: 'Staff believes that any benefits to the local community are outweighed by the overwhelming documented public opposition and, therefore, the project would not serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.' Open Road Renewables withdrew its application for Grange Solar late last week, making it at least the fifth large solar project in Ohio to be canceled over the past 15 months. The case highlights the power that local opponents have to block renewable energy projects in Ohio, even when they otherwise check all the boxes for regulatory approval. It also raises the question: What more can developers do? Open Road Renewables held listening sessions last spring for its up to 500-megawatt solar farm to learn about community concerns and address them even before applying for its permit. Beyond the $5 million in annual local tax revenue the development was expected to generate, the company committed $10 million in donations for a community center, public safety, a river cleanup, job training, and other programs. 'All legitimate concerns about the project were addressed and the benefits would have been spread far and wide,' Doug Herling, vice president of Open Road Renewables, said in an emailed statement. The section of the siting board staff's report that focuses on whether Grange Solar serves the public interest does not discuss local benefits. Nor does it address statewide public-interest issues, such as growing energy needs, efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and projected positive economic impacts. The staff report also does not address conflict-of-interest issues and procedural problems raised by the developer about some of the local governments' filings. And it doesn't mention the company's analysis of public comments, showing that three-fourths of those who had commented on the project supported it. The staff recommendation also does not consider the merits of opponents' reasons for not wanting Grange Solar to move ahead. '[T]he dozens of pages of the [Power Siting Board] staff report represent rigorous analysis and thorough fact-checking of every aspect of Grange's planned project,' Herling said. 'But there is no such fact-checking of the onslaught of anti-solar propaganda, which caused local officials to make statements against solar.' Renewable energy developments face increasing headwinds across the country, often fueled by misinformation. Research released last June by Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law identifies hundreds of projects encountering significant opposition across 47 states. And a July 2024 report from the watchdog organization Energy and Policy Institute lists multiple fossil-fuel companies with links to anti-renewable front groups and activists. Withdrawing the Grange Solar application was a difficult business decision, Herling said in a phone interview with Canary Media. Management at the company felt it could have eventually won, if not at the Ohio Power Siting Board then perhaps on appeal. But even if the company did prevail, it had no guarantee on how long that would take. And Grange Solar is not the only site Open Road Renewables has been working on. 'The decision to withdraw the application is not surprising when you consider the cost of the administrative proceedings, hearings, and appeals that lay ahead and the challenge of persuading the Ohio Power Siting Board to override the recommendation of its staff to deny the application,' said Matthew Eisenson, a lawyer with Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. He represented two landowners who had agreed to lease their property for the Grange Solar project. The Ohio Power Siting Board's staff report acknowledges that Grange Solar is exempt from terms in a 2021 law, Senate Bill 52, which let counties block most large new solar projects. Two representatives from the host county and townships would still have served as ad hoc siting board members for deciding the case. 'However, the [Power Siting Board] staff's recommendation to deny the application when the only purported defect was the existence of local opposition, particularly opposition from local government officials, is analogous to giving local government officials veto power,' Eisenson said. 'Our voices were heard,' said Aubrey Snapp, a representative of the Indian Lake Advocacy Group, which has opposed Grange Solar and applauded its demise in a Feb. 28 statement. Other stakeholders had very different reactions. The regulatory staff's recommendation to block the Grange Solar Grazing Center 'not only disregards the needs of Logan County workers and their families, but also squanders the potential for Logan County to become a leader in renewable energy and attract further investment,' said a statement from IBEW Local 32, the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which its lawyer in the case, Daniel Loud, provided to Canary Media. The union also found fault with the local government leaders who opposed the solar farm. 'Local decision-makers have a fundamental responsibility to prioritize the economic well-being of their communities. By rejecting the Grange Solar project, they have failed to uphold this responsibility and have jeopardized the livelihoods of countless workers and families.'
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Solar project withdraws from Logan County after backlash
INDIAN LAKE, Ohio (WDTN) — A solar power project in Logan County, which received considerable backlash from the community, has been canceled. On Friday, the Grange Solar Project pulled its application from the Indian Lake area, following a recommendation from the Ohio Power Siting Board to deny it. Indian Lake residents told 2 NEWS they are thankful that the Grange Solar project is no longer in the county, even if that means losing potential job opportunities and millions of dollars of investment in the county. 'We want the beauty of the lake, we don't want any disturbance to the lake,' said John Ford, Indian Lake resident. Sixteen of the 17 townships in Logan County voted against establishing solar projects in the county, asking for the commissioners' support. 'Indian Lake is a resort community, and we get lots and lots of summer activities there,' said Mike Yoder, Logan County Commissioner. 'We felt that it was going to hurt that particular industry.' The Texas-based Open Road Renewables proposed the Grange Solar Project in October, aiming to bring clean energy and economic benefits to Logan County. The project would have delivered over 500 megawatts of renewable energy across 2,000 acres in several townships. The company says a lot of misinformation was spread about the project and that's why it failed. 'You're saying that solar is somehow going to poison your water or kill all the wildlife, things that are just blatantly untrue,' said Doug Herling, vice president of Open Road Renewables. 'Folks have relied on things that have been refuted 40 or more times around the state on other projects, to continue to oppose projects.' But Yoder says this misinformation was a two-way street. 'Those that were against the project were also talking about how Open Roads was not giving them accurate information about what was going on,' said Yoder. Residents like John Ford say the promises made by Open Roads seemed too good to be true. 'They keep saying that it'll be great for sheep grazing and stuff like that,' said Ford. 'But if you actually drive around the solar farms, they're torn up.' Since the Grange Solar project was withdrawn, the Ohio Power Siting Board has canceled all related hearings. Logan County commissioners say they'll continue opposing all future solar power projects, as this reflects the views of the community they represent. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposed solar project discontinued
Feb. 28—LOGAN COUNTY — A proposed solar energy project in Logan County will not come to fruition. Open Road Renewables announced Friday that the Grange Solar Grazing Center will not be constructed as it is withdrawing its application to the Ohio Power Siting Board for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility. According to a release from the company, this decision came in light of a recommendation from the OPSB staff to deny that application. Open Road Renewables Vice President Doug Herling said in a statement that the decision to withdraw was difficult given that the company worked to ensure that "all legitimate concerns about the project were addressed." "Unfortunately, some community members were swayed by fears that were entirely unfounded," he said in the statement. Herling also said that his company will continue to work to promote solar power as part of the state's energy production. Featured Local Savings
USA Today
09-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Why is Stark County tying one of its energy arms behind its back?
Why is Stark County tying one of its energy arms behind its back? | Column President Donald Trump declared an energy emergency on Jan. 20. So why is Stark County tying one of its energy arms behind its back? Throughout the past year, Stark County public officials have sought to block the development of solar and wind projects, most notably with the county commissioners' recent ruling to block them in nearly all townships, at the request of the township trustees, as the Canton Repository reported in July 2024. Stark County is not the only place in Ohio or the nation to turn hostile to renewable energy development in recent years. The 'Stop Solar' movement gained a lot of traction online and within communities throughout the 2020s, right as the former administration was unleashing billions of dollars to urban and rural communities to increase and diversify their energy supply. While financial evidence is lacking, many reputable news organizations reported on the spreading of the misinformation, and many environmentalists believed the movement was created to protect special interests that were threatened by the diversification — namely oil and gas companies. Regardless of who is behind it, the movement was full of misinformation about solar, including concerns of toxic chemicals, irreparable damage to farmland, and even economic harm. All of which were succinctly rebutted by Columbia University in April 2024. Furthermore, most of the non-renewable energy alternatives have overwhelming evidence saying that they do in fact cause the same harms that renewables are still being inaccurately accused of. In August, I attended an Ohio Power Siting Board meeting for Stark Solar to better understand what my community knew and thought. As an environmental scientist who has also studied solar power for the U.S. government, I also thought I could offer a unique, and still local, perspective. As a Stark County resident, I wanted to see my community thriving with new technology and jobs. As an American, I wanted my country to meet its growing energy demands. The president is also captivated by those demands. The president's executive order states 'The integrity and expansion of our Nation's energy infrastructure — from coast to coast — is an immediate and pressing priority for the protection of the United States' national and economic security.' The order also explicitly mentions energy source 'diversity' as critical to the nation meeting its ever-growing energy demands. And yet, the county is refusing to even consider the fastest-growing source of energy in the nation and world? While Ohio has reduced its reliance on inefficient coal as the primary source of energy for the state, it is still 5 percentage points above the rest of the nation, and the same number of percentage points behind the rest of the nation when it comes to renewables. Meanwhile, we are the seventh largest state when it comes to consumption and thanks to recent economic development with the tech sector, that is only likely to grow. So why are Stark County and other Ohio officials looking to obstruct renewable energy opportunities that would give its citizens the energy the president said the nation needs, as well as jobs and tax dollars for many years to come? Ohio residents deserve leaders who are willing to solve problems, not bend to the whims of the latest misinformation campaign or special interest wallet. Whatever may be driving these nonsensical decisions, I hope the president's energy emergency will embolden them to do their jobs — starting with approving Stark Solar, then removing the county ban on renewables and perhaps even incentivizing the economic powerhouse that is the renewable energy sector. Brit Steiner is a former diplomat and public policy expert. She lives in Jackson Township.
