Ohio has passed their RPS, and the bills go to Gov. Strickland next week for signature. When those wind turbine companies chose Ohio to manufacture, remember this - we had the opportunity to get in the game at the same time.
The 12.5 percent requirement translates into an investment of at least $12 billion in wind energy installations, according to the American Wind Energy Association, an industry trade group. Most of the wind farms would be in Ohio, a key to Mr. Strickland's desire for homegrown power sources, the association said.
A study last year by the advocacy group Environment Ohio found that if the state's utilities' use of wind power jumped to 20 percent by 2020, it would create the equivalent of 3,100 jobs and would put about $8.2 billion into Ohio's economy. Property owners also would profit by leasing their land for wind farms, the group said.
Renewable energy delivery systems could be made in abandoned factories, closed because of the slide in Ohio's manufacturing economy, Environment Ohio Director Erin Bowser said.
Not only will they be getting into wind, they are looking at solar as well.
But solar power also is likely to take off, Ms. Bowser said. It is another fledgling industry in the U.S. but is flowering in such countries as Germany, she said.
"We may have more wind turbines going up, but the whole northwestern part of the state is in position to manufacture solar panels," she said.
As I pointed out before, Ohio Republicans are the main movers behind this. They can see the value of adding jobs and investment to their state.
Michigan Senate Republicans, care to respond? Or are you going to continue to obstruct us from creating jobs?
Another state moves forward, more are likely to follow, and Michigan will fall behind, thanks to our Republicans. Get this done, people.