Small business owner encourages innovation

As a small business owner and farm owner, I am always looking for innovative ways to improve the way we live and do business. That's why I am excited about the possibility of a community solar program for Ohio. Ohio House Bill 197 is a bipartisan proposal sponsored by James Hoops, R-Napoleon, and Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth, that would create a pilot program for community solar projects to be sited throughout Ohio, including on farmland like mine. This legislation would not only benefit landowners that choose to host a community solar farm, but also will benefit consumers across the state by reducing their energy bills. Community solar farms are mid-size solar facilities that generate electricity to power local homes, farms, and businesses, as well as provide a number of other benefits for their local communities. Utility customers are able to subscribe to their local community solar farm and receive credit on their electricity bills for the energy produced by their portion of the system. This allows Ohioans who are unable to install their own solar for any reason to be able to reap the same benefits and savings as residential and commercial solar owners. States across the country are struggling to figure out how to transition from polluting energy sources to clean sources of energy. Ohio has the opportunity to be at the forefront of implementing innovative energy solutions by joining the 22 other states that have already established community solar programs. A typical community solar installation on 25-30 acres will produce enough electricity to zero out almost 600 homes worth of energy! In addition to the obvious benefit of helping to reduce global warming, adding distributed capacity makes the electric grid more reliable. It provides power at peak consumption times, helping reduce the peak demands that drive everyone's bill up. As a farmer who has personally brought ground into organic production, I care deeply about taking care of the land and its surrounding environment. Community solar gardens give us the opportunity to have 20-30 acre oases with native plants, milkweed for monarchs, and assorted flowering plants providing vital food for pollinators all season long. These habitats can help ensure our commercial crops are pollinated when they need it – addressing a growing issue for all farmers. Farmers, and in fact all Ohioans, benefit from putting more renewable energy into the grid. The reduced carbon emissions will help slow the growing wave of extreme weather events that are eroding our precious topsoil, flattening houses and crops, and subjecting our most vulnerable citizens to extreme heat waves. HB 197 is a win not only for Ohio's energy future, but also for the financial opportunities that it will bring to local communities. Landowners that host these projects will secure steady sources of income without having to worry about the maintenance or operations. These facilities will also generate significant tax revenue for the municipalities in which they are located and will create rewarding, well-paying jobs. This is a simple way that we can grow our clean energy capacitywithout costing the state or the consumer money. I have made my support heard at the Ohio House. I urge you to write and call your state and local representatives and let them know House Bill 197 is a good bet for Ohioans and the state's energy future. Eric Jennings Huron County