Solar power in Ohio
Solar power in Ohio has been increasing, as the cost of photovoltaics has decreased. Ohio installed 10 MW of solar in 2015.[1] Ohio adopted a net metering rule which allows any customer generating up to 25 kW to use net metering, with the kilowatt hour surplus rolled over each month, and paid by the utility once a year at the generation rate upon request. For hospitals there is no limit on size, but two meters are required, one for generation, the other for utility supplied power.[2]
In 2010, the 12 MW solar farm in Upper Sandusky, Ohio was the largest solar farm in the state.[3][4] It was later surpassed by the 20MW DG AMP Solar Bowling Green, which was completed in January 2017.[5]
The First Solar factory in Perrysburg, Ohio can make almost 600 MW of panels per year.[1]
Costs have decreased to the point that the average consumer may save approximately $17,527 over a 20-year period by installing solar panels.[6] Euclid's City Hall and library installed solar panels and expects to save $25,000 over the next 15 years. The panels were installed at no cost to the city by Ohio Cooperative Solar, which is leasing the rooftops.[7]
Solar projects
Overall capacity of Ohio's utility-scale solar projects was estimated at about 100 MW in December 2020, with an additional 400 MW projected to come online within a year.[8]
Toledo area
In 2009, ground broke on what was then one of the largest solar fields in the United States, located in Wyandot County, near Upper Sandusky. The 12-MW plant, finished in September 2010,[9] was constructed by Germany-based Juwi Solar and is called Wyandot Solar LLC., leasing its energy to AEP.[10][11]
A 1.1 MW solar field was constructed by Advanced Distributed Generation on the University of Toledo campus.[12][13]
The airbase for 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard in Toledo has a 1.2 MW solar installation.[14][15]
In 2010, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced Xunlight and First Solar would provide 100 kW of panels for a $1.5 million research project at the Veterans' Glass City Skyway in Toledo.[16][17]
Dayton
In 2009, University of Dayton graduate Zachary Layman's company Solar Roadways received a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop his solar road prototype, which embeds solar panels into driving surfaces.[18] It won General Electric's Ecomagination Challenge Award in 2010.[19]
Another of the state's largest solar arrays was constructed by The Dayton Power and Light Company in Dayton, Ohio.[20] The solar field generates 1.1 Megawatts of power.[21] The facility will consist of 9,000 solar panels constructed over 7 acres (28,000 m2), and will generate enough electricity to power nearly 150 homes.[21]
Elsewhere
Campbell Soup Company had a 10 MW solar plant constructed to provide energy for its operations in Napoleon,[22][23]
In September 2009, Third Sun Solar in collaboration with the Akron Metro Regional Transit Authority and Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group installed the largest rooftop solar array in the state, comprising 2,076 solar modules producing 488 kW.[24][25]
Cincinnati Zoo and Melink Corporation announced the opening of a new 1.56 megawatt solar canopy in 2011. The 6,400 solar panels, located in the Zoo's Vine Street Parking Lot provide 20% of the Zoo's power needs.[26]
Renewable portfolio standard
HB6, which passed the state legislature in July 2019 phases out Ohio's renewable portfolio standard completely.[27] A referendum petition has been started to overturn HB6. Ohio had a renewable portfolio standard which calls for 0.06% from solar by 2012 and 0.09% by 2013, and 0.5% from solar and 12.5% from renewable sources by 2026.[28] However, the standard was frozen in government in 2014 and no further increases were required.[1] Ohio used 154,145 million kWh in 2010.[29] Approximately 75 MW is required to generate 0.5%. Covering rooftops with solar panels in Ohio (46,800 MW) would generate 35.3% of demand.[30] Many of the homes, schools and businesses which have installed solar panels can be monitored online on the Internet.[31][32]
Statistics
|
Ohio Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[34][35][36][37][38][39][40] | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Capacity | Installed | % Change | |||||||||
2008 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 40% | |||||||||
2009 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 43% | |||||||||
2010 | 20.7 | 18.7 | 935% | |||||||||
2011 | 31.6 | 10.9 | 53% | |||||||||
2012 | 79.9 | 48.3 | 153% | |||||||||
2013 | 98.4 | 18.5 | 23% | |||||||||
2014 | 102 | 3 | 4% | |||||||||
2015 | 113 | 10 | 11% | |||||||||
2016 | 125 | 12 | 11% | |||||||||
2017 | 165 | 40 | 32% | |||||||||
2018 | 202.4 | 37.4 | 23% | |||||||||
2019 | 264.5 | 62.1 | 31% |
References
- U.S. solar power demand intensifies, Toledo Blade, Jon Chavez, May 29, 2016
- "DSIRE". programs.dsireusa.org.
- "Care2 is the world's largest social network for good, a community of over 40 million people standing together, starting petitions and sharing stories that inspire action". www.care2.com.
- Ohio's Largest Solar Farm Goes Online
- Table 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, and Month, 2017, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, March 24, 2017
- "How Much Does Solar Cost?".
- "Euclid City Hall, library turning to solar energy for savings".
- Gearino, Dan (2020-12-17). "Inside Clean Energy: The Solar Boom Arrives in Ohio". Inside Climate News. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
- "Wyandot County solar project finishes early", Juwi Solar. Accessed January 4, 2011
- "German company to build area's largest solar field in Wyandot County", Retrieved 19 nov 2009.
- "Solar Coming to Wyandot County", CMPND, Retrieved 19 nov 2009.
- "Solar Field Nears Completion", Toledo Free Press. Retrieved 27 nov 2009.
- Facilities and Construction: Renewable Energy , University of Toledo, accessed May 29, 2016
- "Ohio Air National Guard expands solar energy field", Toledo Free Press, Retrieved 9 jan 2010.
- Air Guard base adds to solar field, The Toledo Blade, Tom Henry, 1/6/2010
- "Skyway to Become Ohio's First "Solar Highway", 104.7 WIOT. Retrieved 16 apr 2010.
- "Skyway going solar on $1.5M U.S. grant", Toledo Blade. Retrieved 16 apr 2010.
- "Idaho Man Builds 12 Foot Solar Road", Green Living Ideas. 17 feb 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
- "Solar Roadways shines in contest's popular vote".
- "DP&L Officially Opens Largest Solar Power Facility in Southwestern Ohio", Market Watch. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
- " Largest Solar Power Facility in Southwestern Ohio", Retrieved 17 dec 2009.
- "Campbell Soup plans $21.6M solar facility".
- Campbell Dedicates 9.8-Megawatt Solar Power System, SunPower Corp., June 21, 2012
- "Ohio Unveils State's Largest Rooftop Solar Array". Energy. September 30, 2010.
- "Ohio's Largest Solar Roof Celebrated".
- "Largest Publicly Accessible Urban Solar Array". Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. May 9, 2011. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
- Roberts, David (2019-07-27). "Ohio just passed the worst energy bill of the 21st century". Vox. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
- "DSIRE". programs.dsireusa.org.
- Ohio Electricity Generation
- "Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment".
- "PV Ladder". www.pvoutput.org.
- "Enphase US Map". enphase.com.
- "PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- Sherwood, Larry (July 2010). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
- Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
- Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
- Sherwood, Larry (July 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
- Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2014-09-26.
- "Ohio Solar". SEIA.