House Committee Hears Testimony On Skindell's Renewable Energy In Ohio

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEPTEMBER 14, 2005



FROM THE OFFICE OF

STATE REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL SKINDELL

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT KATHY CORTEZ 614.466.5921





HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARS TESTIMONY ON

SKINDELL’S RENEWABLE ENERGY IN OHIO

- Goal to increase renewable energy generation to 20% by 2021

Columbus, OH) – State Representative Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood) today told the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee that escalating oil and gas prices demand that the legislature enact a renewable energy standard for Ohio.

Skindell testified in support of his proposal for an Ohio Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard. His bill is designed to increase to least 20 percent by 2021 the proportion of electricity sold to consumers in Ohio that is generated from renewable resources.

Less than 1 percent of Ohio’s electricity currently is produced from renewable resources such as solar, wind, biomass.

“Everybody wins when we use renewable energy,” Representative Skindell said. “Not only are we reducing the toxic emissions that go along with burning fossil fuels, we’ll be stabilizing energy prices and creating a high-tech job field in renewable power. And we could take an important step toward reducing Ohio’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.”

Skindell said that the legislation he introduced earlier this year would establish a renewable energy standard for Ohio electric utilities that “directly links economic development and job creation with energy diversification and protection of the environment.”

It is estimated that because of Ohio’s rich bioenergy resources, such as trees, grasses and agricultural crops, renewable energy could supply 64 percent of residential electricity or power for 2,758,000 homes in Ohio. Solar and wind energy could produce upwards to 5 percent of electricity sold to Ohio consumers.

A recent study called “Job Jolt” and conducted the Regional Economics Applications Laboratory, a project of the University of Illinois, concluded that a renewable energy standard for Ohio would create 7,200 net new jobs by 2010, 13,500 new jobs by 2020, $600 million of net economic growth by 2010 and $1 billion in net economic growth by 2020.

Eighteen states, including Pennsylvania and New York, and the District of Columbia have already enacted some form of renewable energy standard. Last November, Colorado enacted a renewable energy standard through a voter initiative.

“This legislation would benefit farmers, save consumers money, create jobs reduce air pollution, and reduce our dependence on foreign fossil fuels,” Skindell said. “That’s why 18 other states have already adopted similar legislation.”

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