Ohio Zoning Law: Ohio Renewable Energy Regulation

Alternative fuel transportation grant program.

County wind and solar generation restriction definitions

No person shall construct any utility facility in an unincorporated area of a county that has not been designated as part of an energy development district by the board of county commissioners.

Township small wind farm zoning regulations

Municipal small wind farm zoning regulations

Air Quality Development Authority

Basis for Ohio Siting Board's decision granting or denying certificate.

No local public agency may require any approval, consent, permit, certificate, or other condition for the construction or operation of a major utility facility or economically significant wind farm authorized by a certificate issued pursuant to Chapter 4906 of the Revised Code.

Certificate from the power siting board required to construct economically significant wind farms.

Ohio Power Siting Board - Prohibited Acts

Competitive retail electric service definitions.

Customer sited renewable energy resource.

Nuclear generation facilities decommissioning.

Energy efficiency and weatherization program

Energy efficiency revolving loan fund

Energy efficiency revolving loan program

Creating an advanced energy manufacturing center

Purpose of energy efficiency program

Electric distribution utility to provide electricity from qualifying renewable energy resources.

Costs being recovered through bypassable charge

Reduction from compliance amount.

Baselines for compliance with qualified renewable energy resource requirements

Adjustments to baselines

Use of renewable energy credits.

Adoption of rules governing disclosure of costs to customers of the renewable energy resource, energy efficiency savings, and peak demand reduction requirements.

Implementing energy efficiency programs.

Standard contract or tariff providing for net energy metering

Rules establishing greenhouse gas emission reporting requirements

Bans Ohio cities from limiting or prohibiting residents from obtaining natural gas or propane services for their homes.

Ohio may provide a sales and use tax exemption for certain tangible personal property used in energy conversion, solid waste energy conversion, or thermal efficiency improvement facilities

Solar access easement requirements.

Exemption of solar, wind or hydrothermal energy system and of certain energy facilities from property taxes

Exemption on tangible personal property and real property of certain qualified energy projects.

Empowers county governments to drastically restrict wind and solar power development, a process formerly overseen by the Ohio Power Siting Board.

Legislature passed bill designating nuclear power as clean energy.

Gov. DeWine signed as of 1/6/23. Forces Ohio to grant lease applications for more natural gas drilling on public lands and state parks. Also reclassifies natural gas as “green energy” — a legal definition scientifically reserved for renewable energy generated from natural sources such as solar, wind, water. However, it it would not allow natural gas projects to qualify for renewable energy credits.

Passed to facilitate and continue the development, production, and use of electricity from nuclear, coal, and renewable energy resources in this state, to modify the existing mandates for renewable energy and energy efficiency savings, and to determine amounts of federal funding received for home weatherization services.

Ohio Capital Journal 4/28/23

Ohio Capital Journal 6/1/23 Siting Board has approved some projects and denied others, without determining whether objections are supported by evidence. Solar advocates say the industry needs more clarity to move forward in the state.

Helps Ohioans get bank loans to make their homes more energy efficient

2023-OHIO-2555 Wind farm project allowed to go forward after Ohio Supreme Court ruling

Rules for alternative qualified energy projects

Standards for solar ready roofs and equipment in school buildings.

Electric Companies

Environmental disclosure.

Disclosures of Renewable Energy Resource, Energy Efficiency, and Peak Demand Reduction Compliance Costs.

Net metering contracts

Disclosures of Renewable Energy Resource Compliance Costs

Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard

Certification of exempt facilities under sections 5709.20 to 5709.27 of the Revised Code.

Ohio Capital Journal, 12/20/23

Ohio Capital Journal 10/16/23

Ohio Capital Journal 6/22/23

Ohio Capital Journal 8/5/24

4/20/23 Like many of Ohio’s solar projects, the proposed Oak Run project, in Madison County, has faced opposition from nearby farmers and others who don’t want to see farmland taken out of production. Savion, the company proposing the 800-megawatt project, however, says installing solar panels doesn’t mean the land can’t be used for farming.

Great Plains Institute Feb. 2022

Wtol.com 1/13/25

Ohio Capital Journal 6/1/23

Ohio Capital Journal 6/20/23

Bricker.com, 7/20/22

Ohio Capital Journal 12/2/24

The Ohio Power Siting Board gave its ok to the Madison County project on 3/21/24

Ohio Capital Journal 6/16/23

NC Clean Energy Technology Center

Ohio Capital Journal 10/25/22