Washington, D.C. — Last year, Ohio froze its successful renewable energy and energy-efficiency standards, making it the first state in the country to do so. The Center for American Progress interviewed business leaders across Ohio to understand the harmful impacts of the freeze on investment and jobs in the state. CAP’s issue brief serves as a cautionary tale for other states considering actions to roll back or repeal their standards.
“Ohio was becoming a leader on clean energy,” said Greg Dotson, CAP Vice President for Energy Policy. “By freezing the state’s clean energy standards, Ohio’s legislature stopped the state’s progress in its tracks. We spoke with many Ohio business leaders who lamented the uncertainty created by the freeze and told us that it has chilled new hiring and investment. Any state considering a repeal of their clean energy policies should look to Ohio as a perfect example of what not to do.”
Ohio’s renewable energy and energy-efficiency standards were passed in 2008 with overwhelming bipartisan support. The standards proved to be remarkably successful, resulting in increased investment, employment, and savings for ratepayers. In 2014, at the urging of the energy company FirstEnergy, the Ohio legislature voted to freeze the state’s standards. It also voted to dramatically increase the setback requirements for wind turbines.
In Colorado, the House of Representatives recently shot down an effort to lower the state’s renewable energy targets. In Kansas, legislators have introduced a bill to repeal the state’s renewable energy standard, which has been attacked by groups such as Americans for Prosperity. Click here for a fact sheet listing the states where legislation has been introduced in 2015 to repeal or weaken clean energy standards.
Click here to read the issue brief.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.