Ohio Energy Summary
This page provides a summary of energy in Ohio. Here you will find an overview of energy consumption, listing of energy efficiency goals under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), a summary of the status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies, and a list of political leaders and state agency administrators who shape energy policy for Ohio. You can link to the following subheadings on this page:
- Executive summary
- Economic and demographic facts that affect energy consumption
- Status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies
- State leadership
Executive Summary
Total Energy Consumption per Capita 1980 - 2005 and EPAct Goal for Ohio
(million Btu)
Section 123 of EPAct requires states to set an energy conservation goal that is 25% below 1990 consumption. DOE is currently considering a per capita goal among other options.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration State Energy Price, Expenditure, and Consumption Estimates (SEDS) database. Note, that 2005 is the latest year for which state-by-state data is available.
Ohio has significant reserves and is a moderate producer of coal, but has only small reserves of petroleum and natural gas. Energy consumption in Ohio industry is the highest in the nation. Because of its location, the state is a major throughway for natural gas pipelines and electric power transmission, and transmission capacity is a major energy issue for this part of the Midwest. The East Coast blackout in 2003 began in Ohio and affected the entire state. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) identified Ohio as a conditional congestion area in the 2006 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study published online by FERC, with input from DOE.
Read a more complete energy summary for Ohio, including consumption and production statistics for fossil fuels on the DOE Energy Information Administration (EIA) Ohio Energy Profile.
| Total energy consumption per capita | 356 (million Btu) |
State rank | 22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPAct per capita goal for 2012 | 265.5 (million Btu) |
State rank | 23 |
| Average annual increase in total energy consumption | -0.2% | State rank | 41 |
Electricity
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation
(trillion Btu)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
| Annual growth of electricity consumption | 1.4% | State rank | 46 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from nonhydro renewable energy | 408 (million kWh) |
State rank | 39 |
Ohio has a deregulated competitive market for electric power. Electricity consumption is growing at 1.4% per year, which is slightly more than half the national average. Meanwhile, the population is growing very slowly at 0.2% per year, which is well below the national average.
Ohio has significant biomass resources and some areas with good wind energy resources. The state ranks 36th in wind energy potential. Read more Ohio electric power and renewable energy statistics published by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Transportation
Motor Gasoline Consumption per Capita 1980 - 2005
(gallons)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
Transportation accounts for 25% of all energy consumption in Ohio, which makes it the second largest energy-consuming sector of the state economy, after industry. Ohio is both a producer and a consumer of ethanol and ranks seventh among states with ethanol production capacity. In 2006, the state ranked sixth in ethanol consumption. You can find data about the consumption of alternative fuels in Ohio from the DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center.
| Motor gasoline consumption per capita | 457 (gallons) |
State rank | 37 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethanol consumption | 264,155,393 (gallons) |
State rank | 10 |
| Number of alternative fuel stations | 143 | State rank | 31 |
| Population | 11,460,000 | State rank | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent urban population | 81.1% | State rank | 20 |
| Annual population growth rate | 0.2% | State rank | 46 |
| Per capita personal income | $31,860 | State rank | 30 |
| Gross state product | $461,302 (million) |
State rank | 7 |
Economic and Demographic Facts that Affect Energy Consumption
The following statistics for Ohio put energy consumption into perspective in the context of the state economy and the size and growth of the population.
Status of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies
Ohio has the following state-level policies and incentives in place that support the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The links give detailed explanations of the policies and incentives published online by the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency:
Building energy codes for energy efficiency
The Ohio commercial building energy code is the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code and includes ASHRAE 90.1-2004. The residential energy code is the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code. Both energy codes are mandatory statewide.
Corporate tax credits for renewable energy
Ohio exempts property used in energy conversion, thermal-efficiency improvements, and the conversion of solid waste to energy from real and personal property taxation, the state's sales and use taxes, and the state's corporate franchise tax where applicable.
Grants for energy efficiency
Ohio offers grants on a first-come, first-served basis with a cap of $50,000 to support the implementation of qualifying energy efficiency projects.
Grants for renewable energy
Ohio has two separate grant programs that support distributed and renewable energy installations.
Public benefits funds for energy efficiency
The Ohio Advanced Energy Fund provides grants for energy efficiency projects.
Public benefits funds for renewable energy
The Ohio Advanced Energy Fund also grants for renewable energy projects.
Renewable portfolio standard for renewable energy
Ohio requires that electric distribution utilities and electric service companies provide 25% of their retail electricity sales from alternative energy sources by 2024, of which 12.5% must come from renewable energy resources and 0.5% must come from solar energy resources
State standards for public buildings for energy efficiency
Ohio has separate building energy efficiency guidelines for state-owned and leased buildings and state university buildings. The latter are required to set a goal of reducing energy consumption by 20% from a 2004 baseline by 2014.
State Leadership
Governor Ted Strickland (D) began serving as governor in 2007. Previously, he served as a minister, a psychologist, a college professor, and he served six terms as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Ohio Legislature is composed of a senate with 33 members and a house of representatives with 99 members. The legislature is usually in regular session starting in January and meets throughout the year. The senate majority leader is Keith Faber (R). The senate minority leader is Capri S. Cafaro (D). The speaker for the house of representatives is Armond Budish (D).
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio regulates providers of all kinds of utility services, including electric and natural gas companies, local and long distance telephone companies, water and wastewater companies, and rail and trucking companies. The commission chairman is Alan R. Schriber.
The Ohio Energy Office administers the DOE State Energy Program in Ohio and advises the state's executive and elected leaders about energy policy. The office director is Sherry Hubbard. The DOE State Energy Program publishes contact information for the Ohio energy office.
