What Kinds of Renewable Energy Are Available in Ohio?
Posted onHow Can I Find Renewable Energy For My Home?
It's no secret that Ohio energy rates have been rising. This is partially due to volatile natural gas prices spiking your electricity bills. But the state has a whole bunch of green options that can make electricity cheaply. And the best part about them is that the sun and wind are free. So, let’s check out what kinds of renewable energy are available in Ohio for you.
Different Kinds Of Eco-Friendly Energy In Ohio
In the US, natural gas is the top fuel used to make electricity. In the past, the next highest fuel was coal. But in 2022, renewable energy beat out coal for the first time. In Ohio, it's a different story. Green energy only makes about 4% of the state's electricity. Of that small amount, wind power makes up three-fifths. The next largest is solar power, which increased its output after the state opened two large solar farms in 2021. The rest of Ohio utility scale renewables come from 5 hydroelectric dams and 14 biomass generators. Biomass plants burn trash and wood waste. This supplies about twice as much energy as hydroelectric dams do.
So How Do You Get 100% Green Energy?
The Ohio Renewable Energy Standards (RES) law requires 8.5% of the state's electricity must come from renewable sources by 2026. In order to comply, utilities and retail suppliers buy Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). Each certificate equals one megawatt hour of green electricity. They can also be bought and sold.
Some retail supply companies offer green sourced plans to their customers. But, green sourced energy mixes in the grid along with fossil fuel made electricity. As a result, the energy coming to your home is not really 100% green energy. To offset this problem, retail suppliers buy RECs. They then retire the RECs once they sell the electricity to their customers. This way, both retailers and customers help support Ohio renewable energy. So, if you are interested in as green a plan as you can get, shop look for plans that are 100% offset by RECs.
Benefits Of Ohio Green Energy Plans
Ohio green energy plans usually cost more than a utility's standard service offer. However, buying green energy helps increase demand for it. That's because REC based plans help build up more green energy resources. By Increasing the demand for green energy, there will be more need to build more solar and wind farms. That can also lead to more jobs in green energy. Plus, by building more Ohio renewable energy power plants, there's less need for costly natural gas plants. In turn, the cost of making energy falls. And that means lower electric rates for everyone.
RECs Benefit Your Home
Renewable energy isn't just a buzzword to try to get you to purchase more expensive plans. RECs have a real impact on the future of green energy plans in Ohio. But green plans aren’t the only way to cut your carbon footprint. There are a bunch of ways you can save electricity in your home. And if you're looking to save money on your electricity bill, you can find the cheapest plans for your area at www.ohenergyratings.com
© 2023 OH Energy Ratings — Rates as of
