Ohio advances clean energy as prices rise nationwide

By Farah Siddiqi

As energy affordability is a top concern for Ohio households, a new national report cited Ohio as one of 30 states making major progress on clean energy and lowering utility costs despite federal rollbacks on climate and clean energy policies.

State advocates said Ohio’s bipartisan reforms are already reducing bills and helping modernize the grid. They credit House Bill 15 for accelerating new energy projects and ending long-standing coal bailouts. The law shortens permitting timelines, prioritizes development in former industrial or polluted areas and allows affordable solar, wind and power-storage projects to come online more quickly.

Nolan Rutschling, managing director of energy policy for the Ohio Environmental Council, said the changes come at a critical moment.

"I think Ohioans know this already but we're in the midst of an affordability crisis in Ohio," Rutschling pointed out. "Costs are very, very high, due to the fact that we aren't bringing enough power onto the grid to meet demand."

Ohio recently repealed subsidies for two aging coal plants operated by the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation. Critics of clean energy expansion said fossil fuels are essential for reliability, while supporters countered renewables are now the cheapest sources to build and deploy.

The report noted it took bipartisan cooperation in Ohio to move to clean energy, after years of utility corruption scandals. State lawmakers, manufacturers, consumer advocates and environmental groups all supported House Bill 15 as a way to streamline development and stabilize prices. Rutschling added rising utility costs are affecting family budgets and state action has become essential in the absence of strong federal investment.

"Folks are really hurting right now, in terms of their electric bills," Rutschling emphasized. "They're having to make tough choices: 'Do I heat my home or do I pay my grocery bill?' There's a sense of urgency here that states have to step up and lead when the federal government isn't."

Ohio is now pursuing additional reforms, including community solar legislation to help renters and lower-income residents access local projects. The report showed states making the greatest progress on wind, solar and battery storage are seeing lower-than-average electric bills, even as national energy prices remain volatile.