Ohio Clean Energy Guide

Ohio is emerging as a significant player in the Midwest's clean energy transition, with substantial utility-scale solar development and growing wind capacity. This guide covers the state's renewable energy landscape, policies, and key market participants.

State Policies & Permitting

Ohio's renewable energy policy landscape has become increasingly complex, particularly for utility-scale solar. The state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires utilities to source 8.5% of electricity from renewable sources by 2026.

SB52 and Local Control

Senate Bill 52, enacted in 2021, fundamentally changed the utility-scale solar landscape in Ohio. The law grants county commissioners the authority to designate areas as restricted for large-scale wind and solar development, and allows counties to hold referendums on proposed projects. Since SB52's passage, numerous Ohio counties have enacted restrictions or outright bans on utility-scale solar, creating a patchwork of local regulations that developers must navigate.

Ohio Power Siting Board

Utility-scale solar projects in Ohio (50 MW and above) must obtain a certificate from the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB), a state agency that reviews applications for environmental impact, land use, and community considerations. However, under SB52, even projects that receive OPSB approval can be blocked by county commissioners or local referendums, adding significant uncertainty to the development process.

Available Incentives

• Net Metering: Available for systems up to 25 kW, with excess generation credited at the utility's avoided cost rate.
• Property Tax Exemption: Renewable energy systems are exempt from property tax increases.
• PACE Financing: Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy financing available in participating jurisdictions.
• Federal ITC/PTC: Ohio projects qualify for federal Investment Tax Credit and Production Tax Credit incentives.

Major Projects & Local Opposition

Ohio has seen significant utility-scale solar development, particularly in rural western and central Ohio counties. However, many projects have faced intense local opposition, and the post-SB52 environment has made development increasingly challenging.

Notable Projects

• Birch Solar (Madison County): 300 MW solar project by Invenergy
• Willowbrook Solar (Union County): 150 MW project
• Yellowbud Solar (Ross/Pickaway Counties): 400 MW project by Savion
• Frasier Solar (Knox County): 120 MW project that became a flashpoint for local opposition, with significant community debate over land use and agricultural preservation

County Restrictions

Since SB52's passage, dozens of Ohio counties have voted to restrict or ban utility-scale solar development. This trend has significantly impacted the state's renewable energy pipeline and forced developers to focus on the shrinking number of counties that remain open to large-scale projects.

Wind development has been even more limited due to highly restrictive setback requirements passed in 2014, which effectively halted new wind farm construction in the state. Existing wind farms in northwest Ohio continue to operate.

Key Developers Active in Ohio

• Invenergy: Major developer with multiple utility-scale solar projects
• Savion: Developing several large solar projects across the state
• Lightsource BP: Active in Ohio's solar market
• Open Road Renewables: Developing community and utility-scale projects
• Apex Clean Energy: Wind and solar development

Data Center Boom & Energy Demand

Ohio has emerged as a major destination for data center development, driven by available land, relatively low electricity costs, and proximity to major population centers. Central Ohio, particularly the Columbus region, has seen explosive growth in hyperscale data centers from companies like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft.

This data center boom is dramatically increasing electricity demand in the state, creating both opportunities and tensions for renewable energy development. Data center operators are among the largest buyers of renewable energy through power purchase agreements (PPAs), yet the same rural counties attractive for data centers and solar farms are often the ones restricting utility-scale renewable development under SB52.

Challenges & Outlook

Ohio faces significant headwinds in its clean energy transition. SB52 has created a challenging environment where even projects that secure OPSB approval can be blocked at the county level. The growing number of county bans and restrictions has shrunk the available footprint for utility-scale solar development considerably.

Despite these challenges, Ohio remains attractive for developers due to its proximity to major load centers in the PJM Interconnection, strong corporate demand for renewable energy (particularly from data center operators), and available transmission capacity. Developers are increasingly focusing their efforts on counties that remain open to solar and working to build community support early in the development process. Battery storage is increasingly being paired with solar projects to provide grid services and address the growing baseload demand from data centers.

Frequently Asked Questions