As Ohio, and the rest of the world, begin to shift focus from a crippling pandemic to creating avenues for economic recovery, we must build for the future. At the center of powering Ohio’s economic future and job creation will be the continued deployment of renewable energy technologies. Among the uncertainty of today, there is a ray of good news: the Ohio Power Siting Board – the state agency in charge of utility energy projects – has approved yet another significant solar project for Brown and Clermont Counties.

The Nestlewood Solar Project is an 80-megawatt development that will power approximately 16,000 Ohio homes each year. While the power that will be generated from this project is both impressive and significant, it pales in comparison to the economic benefits that it will unleash for communities in Brown and Clermont Counties. At a time when local budgets will have to be tightened more than any time in recent memory, the Nestlewood Solar Project will provide $720,000 in annual tax revenue. This money will be guaranteed to go to our schools and our first responders for the length of the project (measured in decades). It will ensure our community infrastructure is kept up to date.

This good news comes on the heels of the launch of the Hillcrest Solar Project in Brown County. As the largest solar project in Ohio, Hillcrest will provide local tax revenue of $1.2 million per year. Combined, these two projects represent nearly $2 million of additional, guaranteed tax revenue per year, for the next 40 years.

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) was on hand at the groundbreaking of the Hillcrest Solar Project and expressed his firm belief that “we need to think differently than in the past” because “Ohio can be the leader” when it comes to solar energy.

Solar will bring the creation of thousands of jobs to Ohio. These are 21st Century, blue-collar jobs that benefit ordinary folks. Ohio is a state that has relied heavily on agriculture and manufacturing to power our economy for generations. The solar panels for these projects are being made in Ohio by First Solar, a manufacturer located in Perrysburg.

It is also important to note the economic benefits that these projects have for our farmers. On average, Ohio landowners are offered between $800 and $1,200 per acre, per year to lease their land for solar development.

Farmers across the state have the opportunity to use their land to help stabilize their financial futures in this time of economic uncertainty.

As industry leaders work hard to support our economic recovery, Speaker Householder’s recently announced creation of the House 2020 Economic Recovery Taskforce will be a critical component of helping Ohio build a stronger economic future. It is time for us to embrace clean energy as a way to rebuild our economy, strengthen our local communities, and provide new opportunities to Ohio’s farming community.

Let’s embrace this spirit of Ohio-led innovation. It’s time to get back to work.

Tyler M. Duvelius
Executive Director, Ohio Conservative Energy Forum