Fountain of Eternal Life, Cleveland Ohio
Solar Legislator Score: 
Updated 12/30/09
On August 29, 2007, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland announced his Energy, Jobs and Progress Plan, an initiative which includes an “Advanced Energy Portfolio Standard” requiring at least 25 percent of the electricity sold in Ohio to be generated from renewable and advanced energy technologies by 2025. No less than half of that energy will come from renewable sources, including biomass, wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and hydro power. Unfortunately, there were no specific numbers allocated to solar power sources.
STATE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, UTILITY REBATES, UTILITY LOANS, AND UTILITY INCENTIVES
Since 1978, the Ohio Department of Development has offered 100% property and sales tax exemptions to businesses who use solar and other renewables. Through a grant program described at the state of Ohio web site, the ODOD subsidizes Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat, PV, and a variety of other alternative energy solutions for just about every type of user, including residential. Awards can be up to $3.00 per watt with a maximum grant award of $25,000 per residence. For a 5000 watt (5kW) average solar PV system, that grant could mean $15,000 off your system. (Plus, don’t forget that your home or business can receive the 30% Federal Tax Credit, which would be calculated after the grant is deducted from your cost. )
You should know though that incentive funds are limited and a number of conditions apply, including the requirement that service must be provided by one of the four following investor-owned utilities: American Electric Power, Duke Energy, Dayton Power & Light, and First Energy. Detailed information on Energy Loan Fund (ELF) grants is available here.
Ohio also now has a net metering program, which allows you to “store” any extra energy your solar panels produce with the utility. Then the utility credits the extra power back to you as you need it, like, you know, at night when your solar panels don’t produce much energy.
For more information and news about developments in solar power and other renewable energy sources in Ohio, check out this database of incentives and/or Green Energy Ohio.
CONSENSUS
Ohio’s pending “Advanced Energy Portfolio Standard” is a move in the right direction to reducing the state’s dependency on fossil fuels, but of little direct benefit to homeowners. The primary incentive for residential conversion to renewable energy sources will be the state’s Energy Loan Fund (ELF) grants, which can provide a significant benefit to homeowners planning solar installations – up to $25,000. Wouldn’t it be nice, though, if owners of solar-powered residences were rewarded with property tax relief? This and sales tax relief have been available to businesses for decades.
Click here to have multiple solar installers bid to upgrade your Ohio home or business.
looking to be a test home for solar or wind turbine energy
Live in the Akron . Canton area. Would like my home to be used as a demo / test home for solar power
Located in southern van wert county, residential 5 acre site with good average wind according to maps. Looking to be demo/test home for wind turbine power.
For Scott:
I found this information on the Web: There’s a Northwest Ohio Green Energy Workshop on Monday, July 21, at the Toledo Zoo. This website has details:
http://www.greenenergyohio.org/page.cfm?pageId=3
Thanks for the info Lois!
I am in the process of buying a small home on the lake and would like to make it fully solar powered and need some info on who I can talk to about grants if any as well as a complany that can install
My husband and I are interested in learning more about converting our home to solar power. We are willing to offer our home as a site for a workshop/demo. We are in the greater Clevleand area.
I also am looking for more detailed information on solar power. Our home/roof get wonderful sun all day. We think it would be very beneficial, but are concerned with cost, details, etc.
My husband and I live in Dayton would love to be a demo home or get info on solar power for our home.
Renovating a lake front A-frame in Stark Co., Ohio. We have to install new furnace & water heater so we will demo down to the studs in most areas for new plumbing & wiring. We are planning to use ADA design in many areas to meet my husbands medical needs. I could use any help & information you could give me. I think this house would make a great test/demo project. Thank you
I have moved to the country and have discovered that my electric is more expensive. People in my same zip code are
spending less. I need a better sorce of energy. My heat is desil and firewood. I have a pond and 9 acers I thought geo themal might be a way to go. I just need some help to make this home more efficent. send info please
We live in a Historic home in Downtown Dayton where the Wright Brothers were born. Our home is located within a National Historic Park. We are interested in converting our home to solar panels and maybe some wind turbines. If you are looking for a demo we would be thrilled to be chosen.
in the next year We are looking to remodel our home I’ve speent countless hours looking for products on the solar level and wind power I’ve seen numerous shows on tv and mutipule info on the net but nothig with the latest solor technology if im spending money i want the best avalable not out dated systems I’m in the construction industry and am appauled at the avalability of technologythat is avalable I know we should be able to buy matireals and install them without an assanine price tag would greatly appreciate any info thank you
Jeff, solar technology has not changed that much in the last 50 years. About half a century has passed and we’ve only doubled efficiency. On the other hand there are people who have had systems installed in the 60s who are still generating electricity, and are laughing all the way to the bank at the people who wait and wait and wait.
The reason the technology is not available is not the fault of contractors, it’s because it’s not available at all. It’s still in lab and the outrageous claims about price and output will often fall short.
PV panels work and will last for decades. Get some now and start saving energy costs today. No new whizbang stuff is going to drastically change the game in 5 years, and thinfilm doesn’t work on small residential applications at the moment.
I would love to be involved! I face direct south and want to use it the right way. A lot of people say it won’t work , but I know it will.
My Wife and I are in the process of purchasing a home in Cuyahoga County and are very interested in solar technology. We would definitely be interested in more info on test/demo project. Thanks!
Hello. We are a family of 5 living in between Middletown & Germantown, Ohio. We have a bit over an acre & are looking to go completly renewable. We are currently in the process of producing biodiesel to run our furnace. We are wanting to see about using wind since we pretty much have to replace the roof every year due to the wind tearing it off & are replacing about 2 squares thoughout the year. We are also in the process of putting together a green house that will be heated by a compost pile & circulating water.
We’re very big believers in natural & organic & are interested in meeting others who are also.
If you are interested in meeting another family or if you are a solar/wind company looking for a family to use as guinea pigs just hollar!
Oh, we are also looking for info over a solar hot water heater & how to develop your own in floor heating. (We’re big on DIY! 
)
Thanks! HoneyNBenNKids AT Gmail.com
Just pop solar rocks in the subject please!
Honey
I’d be interested in finding out if there are any places where a person could access USED ’standard’ sized solar panels, from re-po’ed homes or wherever.
We have a home in Springboro OH with a wonderful southern roof exposure, that is also ‘ramped’ well above the neighbors’ houses & trees on that side.
I currently own 4acres in Cincinnati(inside city limits) That sits on top of a hill. I am building a new log home 40×50 starting in July 2009. This project will be a big news to the city. I plan to go solar. this may be a project we can work on togather!!!
I live in a country setting and we are paying above avarage gas prices here in Swanton Ohio.I would like to try solar energy in my place. But I can’t aford it.So If any one have any good ideals for me,I am open for suggestions.Or if you need a home to model your products am imterested.
I am 18 years old and Live in Bristolville, And I am working on implementing Solar and “green” devices and ideas of my own into my family’s house and would like to get some more information on the solar panels. I also think that as for a Demo house, My Solar ideas meshed with Solar Panels and Turbines could be almost 100% green and double as a Great Example for others. Thanks again
i would like to build a wind generator of my own, is there anyone out there that can help me, also i would like to build my own solar panels. so if you are interested in this,contact me
I would like to know if there is a full service solar power installer in NE Ohio that also helps in securing grants and government funding for residential installs.
I have just launched a solar PV, solar thermal and wind turbine installer business in the dayton area. One of the first in this area I believe. I have the first PV array at my own home in Kettering in 20 yrs. The inspector could not remember ever inspecting one. I am open for business.
James,
Great to hear that and best of luck with your new business!
Cheers,
- Dan
I am very interested and motivated to install my own solar, wind, and bio-fuel green, energy self-sustaining home systems. I live in an urban older, decaying city in Ohio. I need financial assistance and government incentives in order to achieve my objective. How do I make this happen this summer 2009.
I am very interested in solar industry, am currently working for a licensed electrician, Am wondering what it takes to become certified to install. Also what does it take to get the rebates. Can we install a system ourselves as a licensed electrician and still get the rebates?
Iam interested in updating my home to solar energy, reason I think that is the wave,rays of the future. I am a senior and find I need to save. I’m going back to work teaching. I want my students to do research on Solar energy and Wind power. I want them to think of ways to bring solar and wind power to Ohio. Perhaps generating jobs for themselves and others in the near future.
In Germany, homeowners are rewarded for installing solar panels on their homes. They don’t use batteries to store the energy they collect, but rather convert it to AC current and put it back into the grid. For each kilowatt they put into the grid, they are paid more than twice the normal amount the electric company charges per kilowatt used. If we really want to encourage consumer investment in renewable resources, we need to show folks that there can be short term financial rewards, as well as the long term environmental and financial benefits.
Lets put solar panels on the south side of 1000 (500ft long) poultry houses in the southeast. The electricity can be sold to power companies and the money used to panel new houses. There are 21000 broiler houses in the US. Then we can do the hog, egg, dairy, turkey houses. Then we can do large buildings and homes and the sun will pay for 99% of it. Then we can switch to electric cars and tell OPEC where to go. Think of the jobs producing the panels and installing them.
Is your site still active? Last post December 2009.
Of course Emily,
What site are you referring to? Our last post was just days ago.
I live between Dayton and Cincinnati. I am interest in being a demo home for solar and wind power.
my family lives in Lawrence county along the ohio river.I am very interested in being a demo home for solar and/or wind powerwith a grid tie in.
We live in north Toledo Ohio,just off of lake erie. Our home was built in 1918 and has an old solar hot water system and 400 square feet of passive solar panels on the south side. We are very interested in a large pv array on our garage and need more information on contractors, grants, and incentives in our area.
Does anyone know where to go get certified to put up solar panels? Otherwise you dont get any federal and state incentives if you DIY
First off if we are going to subsidize these thing shouldn’t they be manufactured in our state? Oh wait that makes to much sense for our politicians.
Secondly, how many people that are complaining about the look of these things are global warming advocates? Did you know that they want to build a wind farm in the desert in California? The same tree huggers who want to go green are stopping it because of an endangered squirrel.
I am interested in letting my home be a test home for solar, geo-thermal, and wind energy. I like to be able to report the energy saving. our budget it tight. we have 6 in our older 1932 built home
I am interested in having my home converted over to solar, geo-thermal, and wind energy. I live near a small shopping center, on a well traveled road near the Air Force Museum in Riverside. I would like to find out more about any grants to convert or to be a test home (my location could be good for advertising).
Darrel – my wife and I are interested in converting to Solar if there’s assistance available through the government.
Please contact us with the advantage potential after we move in this direction.
I live about 7 miles north of downtown Columbus. I have a 2 story home where the 2nd story roof looks good to place solar panels on. I am looking for information on the initial cost vs saving, any grants or incentives and to be a test home.
My wife and I are interested in being a demo home for solar energy in the Columbus area(Fairfield county-Pickerington).
We live in Waynesville, OH (between Dayton and Cincinnati) and would love to be a demo home. We live in a 2800 sq ft ranch and the full range of the back side of our home is south facing.
We have a business in Carroll County and are very intereted in Wind/Solar Energy. We would love to be a demo site; we have 10 acres available.
Great post. Keep us update with your developments!
I just completed the Solar PV installation class at Owens @ am considering putting a solar array on my home I would like information on getting all the rebates and incentives for this project and would like to know if it is legal for me to install my own system, being a homeowner.
