{"id":14191,"date":"2016-10-24T10:06:18","date_gmt":"2016-10-24T15:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=14191"},"modified":"2017-10-19T15:49:18","modified_gmt":"2017-10-19T19:49:18","slug":"reinvigorating-ohios-clean-energy-standards-could-save-5b-by-2030-heres-how","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2016\/10\/24\/reinvigorating-ohios-clean-energy-standards-could-save-5b-by-2030-heres-how\/","title":{"rendered":"Reinvigorating Ohio\u2019s Clean Energy Standards Could Save $5B by 2030. Here\u2019s How."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"oh-greenlink-analysis\"<\/a>Ohio policymakers are at a crossroads. They can create jobs, grow the economy, cut pollution, and save customers money by rebuilding the state\u2019s renewable and energy efficiency policies, or they can continue to let Ohio fall behind in the clean energy economy.<\/p>\n

A little background: In 2014, the Ohio Legislature placed<\/a> a two-year freeze on the state\u2019s energy efficiency and renewable energy standards as a result of political pressure from Ohio\u2019s largest power company, FirstEnergy, among\u00a0others<\/a>. The standards required electric utilities to generate 12.5 percent of electricity sales from renewable sources, as well as reduce energy consumption 22 percent by 2025 through efficiency programs. Since the freeze, Ohio has lost<\/a> millions of dollars in energy investment and jobs, and lags<\/a> behind nearly every\u00a0other state\u00a0in percentage of renewable energy generated.<\/p>\n

Now that the two years are almost up, it\u2019s time for Ohio to decide how to move forward \u2013 if at all \u2013 on its clean energy standards. Fortunately, according to a new report<\/a> from Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy, there are at least three achievable routes to reinstate the renewable and efficiency standards \u2013 each of which would provide substantial economic and health benefits to the state at a value of $3 to $5 billion by 2030.<\/p>\n

[Tweet “Reinvigorating Ohio\u2019s Clean Energy Standards Could Save $5B by 2030. Here\u2019s How.”]<\/p>\n

Billions in benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n

To evaluate the most financially beneficial mix of clean energy resources, the report, Grounds for Optimism: Options for Empowering Ohio\u2019s Energy Market<\/em>, produced three forecasts of the state\u2019s electricity market. The scenarios include an Accelerated Efficiency case, an Intermediate Pathway that provides a balanced mix of renewables and efficiency, and an Expanded Renewables case. These scenarios are compared against a baseline that models an extended freeze of Ohio\u2019s renewable and energy-efficiency standards.<\/p>\n

All three scenarios are based on clear trends and achievable targets within the state\u2019s growing clean energy industry. Furthermore, each would enable Ohio to meet the goals of the Clean Power Plan,<\/a> the nation\u2019s first-ever limit on carbon pollution from power plants.<\/p>\n

The forecasts show the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries in Ohio are expected to:<\/p>\n