It’s become a pretty common thing to hear that a new startup, a growing company, or a very well-established Fortune 500 company is choosing Ohio as its headquarters.
That’s great for the state’s economy, but the key to their long-term success in the Buckeye State will be ensuring we have the energy resources necessary to power these new facilities, data centers and the associated housing growth.
Ironically, Ohio’s energy reliability is at risk as more energy generation options come online. Our most reliable source of energy has recently become our most vulnerable, as the Environmental Protection Agency earlier this year issued a rule that experts called “unrealistic and unattainable” that targets emissions from numerous power plants across the country, including one here in Ohio that serves over 1 million people in 77 of the state’s 88 counties.
The end result would be devastating for Ohioans: the availability of electricity would decrease, which in turn would jeopardize supplies and increase costs for citizens and businesses alike.
Reliable energy is not the only thing at stake. As more “green” projects are considered, the loss of valuable farmland is not at risk. A policy developed just last year through a grassroots process by the Ohio Farm Bureau has been adopted by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The policy calls on the AFBF to review federal green energy policies, including commercial solar projects, in light of the impacts on farmland and reliable power generation, supply and grid reliability, given the difficulties associated with land use management and farmland conservation.
For Ohio’s strong agricultural industry, reliable energy of all kinds is almost as important as land. Keeping the wheels turning, the gears stirring, the plants growing, the fans running, and every farm running at optimal capacity so farmers, their animals, their fruits and vegetables stay healthy, safe, and plentiful.
In this edition of Our Ohio, we’re looking at energy from every angle. We’re highlighting trends in the oil, natural gas, biofuel, wind and solar markets so you can prepare for the future. We’re also introducing members to our new guide to energy and utility issues and the Ag Intelligence Service’s latest energy-focused report.
Because property rights are the foundation for any discussion on this issue, Farm Bureau supports many types of energy production and use in Ohio and nationally. Policymakers in Ohio and nationally must consider the important impacts that current energy policies and decisions have on providing affordable and reliable energy for Ohio farmers, the agricultural industry, our farmland, and our nation’s food security overall. Otherwise, Ohio’s bright economic future could be at risk.
