Bill > SB231

This bill establishes a comprehensive community energy pilot program in Ohio that allows electric customers to subscribe to local renewable energy facilities, with the goal of promoting distributed generation and providing customers with more energy choices. The program creates a framework for developing community solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable energy projects up to 1,500 megawatts statewide, with specific provisions to prioritize projects on distressed sites or commercial rooftops. Key provisions include requiring public meetings before facility construction, establishing bill credit mechanisms that allow subscribers to receive financial benefits from their energy subscription, setting rules for facility ownership and subscriber participation, and mandating consumer protections such as prohibiting upfront fees and early termination charges. The bill defines detailed requirements for community energy facilities, including limits on facility size, subscriber eligibility, and geographic constraints, and requires community energy organizations to provide financial assurances for facility decommissioning. The Public Utilities Commission will oversee the program, certify facilities, establish billing credit rates, and conduct program reviews, with a goal of creating a financeable community energy market that provides equitable benefits to participants while ensuring grid reliability and efficiency.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/sb231