This week, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation released an analysis conducted by Scioto Analysis on Ohio’s energy permitting process. This analysis focused on the impacts of the energy permitting process on energy supply, economic growth, and development of Ohio’s energy infrastructure.
Key findings from the report include the following:
$440 million in capital investment is lost every year due to energy projects withdrawing from the queue.
This leads to 5,400 fewer jobs in Ohio every year, including 2,600 high-paying construction roles.
9,000 Megawatts of potential power generation have been withdrawn each year since 2016.
$3.2 - $4.3 Million in state income tax revenue are lost annually due to withdrawn projects.
“When permitting is an excessive burden to developers, Ohio loses solar, wind, and other energy projects to other states,” said Scioto Analysis Principal Rob Moore, “this leads to less energy supply and higher energy costs for Ohio ratepayers.”
The report also includes several recommendations for improving the permitting process in Ohio, including enforcing statutory timelines, expanding accelerated reviews, and modernizing community engagement.
“Energy permitting in Ohio is not perfect, but with some changes, the system could be improved, more projects could get online faster, and Ohio can avoid the energy crunch that other parts of the country are already seeing,” said Moore.