ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES SAY WIND POWER WOULD BENEFIT OHIO ECONOMY


Lawmakers could spur job creation and generate revenue for rural areas by requiring utilities to produce 20% of Ohio's electricity from wind power, environmental, labor, and business groups said Thursday.


Such a renewable energy portfolio standard would increase Ohio's gross state product by an estimated $8.2 billion and create about 3,100 full time jobs by 2020, Environment Ohio's Amy Gomberg said during a teleconference to promote the group's latest report on wind power.


"Twenty-five other states across the country have passed requirements for renewable energy that has put them in a position to capitalize on this emerging, job intensive industry, while right now Ohio is sitting on the sidelines," she said.


With coal-fired power plants generating about 87% of the state's electricity, Ohio "is in an increasingly vulnerable position," she said, pointing to potential federal limits on carbon emissions.


Ohio Coal Association President Mike Carey objects to a renewable energy standard and says an advanced energy standard that includes clean coal technology is "worth debating."


He instead touted green energy options that utilities have recently made available to consumers to allow them to voluntarily purchase electricity generated from renewable resources. "If a consumer wants to pay more, then let them pay more."


Mr. Carey questions the economic benefit of a renewable energy portfolio, saying any mandate on utilities would result in increased prices for consumers.


"And any time electricity rates go up, it costs jobs," he said. "I'm glad to see (wind power) is going to create some 3,000 jobs, because large electricity increases will cost that number and more in jobs that will be lost."


Report co-author, Travis Madsen of the Frontier Group, said the economic model takes into account job loss, which would occur minimally in various sectors of the economy. "We find that renewable energy produces a net job benefit."


Ohio's manufacturing, construction, and banking and finance sectors would benefit the most from implementing a renewable energy portfolio, he said.


Ms. Gomberg said Ohio currently sends about $1 billion a year out of state to import the coal and other fuel necessary to meet the state's electricity needs.


"The Buckeye state is well positioned - second only to California - in our ability to manufacture renewable energy technologies for wind turbines and this could really make us the Silicon Valley of the renewable energy industry," she said.


Dave Champagne, manager of wind energy for the Minster Machine Company, said implementing a renewable portfolio standard would create "a favorable business environment" for manufacturers of green energy components.


"A renewable energy standard would be good for our company because this policy would create demand for wind energy products," he said. "Continuation of Ohio's strong manufacturing base into the future, as well as making a positive impact on the environment, make the right (renewable portfolio standard) important to all Ohio manufacturers."


Ohio AFL-CIO Chief of Staff Tim Burga called on lawmakers to include a renewable energy portfolio as part of forthcoming legislation designed to address electricity deregulation.


"We believe this to be a great opportunity to put politics aside, not only address the issue of electric restructuring and deregulation, but to adopt an integrated energy plan, which includes moving forward significantly in the renewable energy source field," he said.


Ohio Consumers' Council spokesman Ryan Lippe said diversifying the state's electricity generation would prove beneficial to consumers in the long run.


"With stronger and better environmental regulations all but certain at this point, and with fossil fuels going up in price, renewable energy and efficiency programs are becoming more and more attractive to ratepayers," he said.


According to the Environment Ohio report, boosting the state's wind energy power production to 20% by 2020 would generate about $1.5 billion in property taxes and provide rural landowners with about $200 million in lease payments to site wind farms. Moreover, it would prevent the release of: 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide; 470,000 tons of sulfur dioxide; 120,000 tons of nitrogen oxides; and 4,000 pounds of mercury.