Energy sector of Ohio - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Energy sector of Ohio is compromised of thousands of companies and cities representing the oil, natural gas, coal, solar, wind energy, fuel cell, biofuel, geothermal, hydroelectric, and other related industries. Oil and natural gas accounts for $3.1 billion annually in sales while ethanol generates $750 million. The state is #2 nationally in solar manufacturing as Toledo is considered a national solar hub, nicknamed "Solar Valley." It is recognized internationally as the "Fuel Cell Corridor", and Hamilton

Hamilton, Ohio

Hamilton is a city in Butler County, southwestern Ohio, United States. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Butler County. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....

is poised to become the biggest municipal provider of renewable energy in the Midwest, and one of the largest in the country, with over 70%. In 2008, the state led the country in alternative energy manufacturing according to Site Selection Magazine, while the natural gas industry has experienced growth due to the Great Shale Gas Rush.

Several notable energy companies are headquartered in the state, including American Electric Power

American Electric Power

American Electric Power is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S...

, Columbia Gas of Ohio, DPL Inc.

DPL Inc.

DPL Inc. through its subsidiary The Dayton Power and Light Company is a public utility that sells electricity to residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers in a area of West Central Ohio....

, Marathon Petroleum Company

Marathon Petroleum Company

Marathon Petroleum Corporation is a U.S. based oil refining, marketing, and pipeline transport company. The company was formed as a subsidiary on September 1, 2005, from the former Marathon Ashland Petroleum, LLC, and is based in Findlay, Ohio...

, American Municipal Power, Inc., Cliffs Natural Resources, Murray Energy

Robert E. Murray

Robert E. Murray is an American CEO of Murray Energy Corporation, a mining corporation based in Pepper Pike, Ohio, near Cleveland. He is one of the largest independent operators of coal mines in the United States.-Personal details:...

, FirstEnergy

FirstEnergy

FirstEnergy Corp. , is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services...

, Oxford Resource Partners LP, AB Resources, American Hydrogen Corporation, and IGS Energy

IGS Energy

IGS Energy, also known as Interstate Gas Supply, Inc., is America's largest independent retail natural gas and electric supplier, serving more than 800,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Virginia, Maryland...

. Rolls-Royce North America

Rolls-Royce North America

Rolls-Royce North America, Inc. is a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce plc involved principally in the manufacture of gas turbine engines and other propulsion systems...

's Energy Systems Inc., a subsidiary of United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

-based Rolls-Royce plc

Rolls-Royce plc

Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...

, is headquartered in Mt. Vernon, specializing in gas compression, power generation, and pipeline technologies. Ultra Premium Oilfield Services and V&M Star Steel operate steel production facilities in the state, which cater to energy exploration.

Ohio consumed 160.176 TWh of electricity in 2005, fourth among U.S. states, and has a storied history in the sector, including the first offshore oil drilling platform in the world, and a modern, renewable energy economy along with the traditional nuclear, oil, coal, and gas industries.

Despite being an advanced energy state, it has been ranked last in addressing environmental issues and alternative energy consumption, and 47th in carbon footprint

Carbon footprint

A carbon footprint has historically been defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.". However, calculating a carbon footprint which conforms to this definition is often impracticable due to the large amount of data required, which is...

. The modern American environmental movement concerning legislation and awareness can largely be traced back to the Cuyahoga River

Cuyahoga River

The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. Outside of Ohio, the river is most famous for being "the river that caught fire", helping to spur the environmental movement in the late 1960s...

fire of June 22, 1969.

Early innovation

Thomas Edison

Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...

, a native of Milan

Milan, Ohio

Milan is a village in Erie and Huron counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 1,445 at the 2000 census.The Erie County portion of Milan is part of the Sandusky Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Huron County portion is part of the Norwalk Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History...

, is widely regarded as a father of the modern industrialized world and the originator of mass-energy generation and distribution concepts, as well as the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. Another Ohio-native, Charles F. Brush

Charles F. Brush

Charles Francis Brush was a U.S. inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist.-Biography:Born in Euclid Township, Ohio, Brush was raised on a farm about 10 miles from downtown Cleveland...

is said to have invented the first electric dynamo, resulting in the present-day United Kingdom

United Kingdom

-based Brush Electrical Machines

Brush Electrical Machines

Brush Electrical Machines is a manufacturer of large generators for gas turbine and steam turbine drive applications, based at Loughborough in Leicestershire, United Kingdom....

. Arthur Compton

Arthur Compton

Arthur Holly Compton was an American physicist and Nobel laureate in physics for his discovery of the Compton effect. He served as Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis from 1945 to 1953.-Early years:...

, of Wooster, invented the florescent light tube and was a pioneer in the study of atomic energy.

Oil and natural gas

The Ohio oil and natural gas industries employ 14,400 citizens, resulting in $730 million in wages. The industries paid $202 million in royalties to landowners, and $84 million in free energy. The state's oil and natural gas industry continues to grow, having topped the $1 billion mark in market value production for four consecutive years, including $1.35 billion in 2008. This has only been accomplished five times in state history. The oil and gas industry contributed $1.5 billion to the gross state product in 2008, and $3.1 billion in sales.

Ohio was one of the original modern-energy states in the world starting in the 19th century and has a storied history. The first discovery of oil from a drilled well and first offshore oil rig placed in world history occurred in Ohio in 1814 in Noble County

Noble County, Ohio

Noble County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,645. Its county seat is Caldwell. Noble County is named for Rep. Warren P. Noble of the Ohio House of Representatives, who was an early settler there.-History:...

, and 1891 at Grand Lake St. Marys

Grand Lake St. Marys

Grand Lake Saint Marys State Park is an Ohio state park, west of St. Marys, and south-east of Celina, south-west of Lima in the north-western part of the U.S. state of Ohio.Grand Lake covers in Mercer and Auglaize counties...

. Ohio was the country's lead producer of oil between 1895–1903, until technology allowed further developments throughout the nation. Since that first well drilled in 1814 by Silas Thora and Robert McKee in Noble County, the state has drilled 273,000 wells, ranking it fourth nationally behind Texas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania historically.

At peak production, the state produced 24000000 barrels (3,815,695,080 l) of oil in 1896. They produced the world's first billionaire, John D. Rockefeller

John D. Rockefeller

John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...

, as a result. Standard Oil

Standard Oil

Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...

was first headquartered in Cleveland, beginning in 1870. The state has produced 1120000000 barrels (178,065,770,400 l) since 1860.

In 2007, the state produced 5455000 barrels (867,275,694.2 l) of crude, and increased production to 5554000 barrels (883,015,436.4 l) in 2008, ranking #17 in the country. The state is fourth in the country in total wells drilled, including natural gas, only trailing Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

, and Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, and having drilled 1,048 new wells in 2008. Offshore oil drilling in Lake Erie

Lake Erie

Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...

first occurred in 1913, and the lake is home to oil reserves.

Ohio has the second largest oil refining capacity in the Midwest. Toledo is home to facilities operated by Sunoco

Sunoco

Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....

and BP

BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...

. The BP facility is undergoing a $400 million renovation and is expected to receive nearly exclusive supplies from a $2.5 billion oilsands project in Alberta by 2011. Toledo is also a target destination for supplies coming from the Bakken Oil Fields

Bakken Formation

The Bakken formation, initially described by geologist J.W. Nordquist in 1953,is a rock unit from the Late Devonian to Early Mississippian age occupying about of the subsurface of the Williston Basin, underlying parts of Montana, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan...

.

Natural gas

Natural gas

Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...

was discovered in Clinton County

Clinton County, Ohio

Clinton County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 42,040. The 2008 Census Population Estimate places the figure at 43,200. It is named for former U.S. Vice-President George Clinton...

in 1887. In 2008, the state produced 85 billion cubic feet of natural gas, which nearly 100% of the production stayed in the state, enough to heat 1 million homes. The Rockies Express Pipeline

Rockies Express Pipeline

The Rockies Express Pipeline is a long high-speed natural gas pipeline system from the Rocky Mountains, Colorado to eastern Ohio. The pipeline system consists of three sections running through eight states...

was recently completed, connecting the eastern part of Ohio with natural gas production facilities in Colorado. 1.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves are estimated to be in Ohio's portion of Lake Erie alone.

The Marathon Petroleum Company

Marathon Petroleum Company

and IGS Energy

IGS Energy

are major oil and natural gas companies headquartered in the state, with Speedway, headquartered in Enon

Enon, Ohio

Enon is a village in Clark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,638 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area.Enon is the headquarters of the Speedway SuperAmerica gas station chain....

, serving as a gasoline distributor of Marathon. Natural gas supplier Delta Energy completed the construction of there new headquarters in Dublin in the summer of 2011.

Devonian Shales

In 1951, the process of hydraulic fracturing was used in Ohio to extract oil and gas. Beneath Ohio rests part of the Devonian Shales, which contain large quantities of natural gas and oil reserves, and is one of the world's largest concentration of organic carbon.

Part of the Devonian Shale is the Marcellus Shale, which alone is estimated to hold between 168 trillion and 516 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Recent technological advances have made the recovery of these reserves possible, and the state has experienced a boom in drilling. It is estimated that 423 Goilbbl of oil are present in the Devonian-Mississippi Shale, with 98% of the near-surface mineable resources located in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee.

Great Shale Gas Rush

By March 2010, The Intelligencer

The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register

The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register are combined daily newspapers under common ownership in Wheeling, West Virginia owned by Ogden Newspapers. The Intelligencer is published weekday mornings and Saturdays, while the News-Register is published weekday afternoons and Sundays.-References:...

, based in neighboring Wheeling, West Virginia

Wheeling, West Virginia

Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, had declared that a "gas rush" was occurring with the Marcellus Shale in the area and that property was "hot". May saw the $4.7 billion acquisition by Royal Dutch Shell

Royal Dutch Shell

Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...

of East Resources's drilling property in neighboring states.

Intense leasing activity was reported in eastern Ohio in September, including Gastar Exploration and South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

-based Atinum Partners citing Ohio acreage in a $70 million deal. Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

-based CONSOL Energy

Consol Energy

Consol Energy is an energy company headquartered in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, suburb of Cecil Township, in the Southpointe complex. It is one of the US's largest coal mining companies, along with Peabody Energy and Arch Coal...

began drilling Belmont County

Belmont County, Ohio

Belmont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 70,400. Its county seat is St. Clairsville...

, while Anschutz Exploration Corporation announced that month it had sold 500000 acres (2,023.4 km²) of its oil and natural gas fields, including in Ohio, for $3 billion.

By October, National Geographic had officially coined the boom as the "Great Shale Gas Rush," with 70 energy companies prospecting New York, Pennsylvania, West Virgnia, and Ohio with plans to drill 3,500 well a year over the next decade with the potential of 200,000 new employment positions.

In August 2011, Chesapeake Energy

Chesapeake Energy

Chesapeake Energy is the second largest producer of natural gas in the United States, a top 15 producer of U.S. liquids and the most active driller of new wells, according to an November 2011 investor presentation. It recorded 3Q 2011 natural gas production of an average of approximately of...

announced it would open a field office in Canton. In September 2011, Hess Corporation

Hess Corporation

The Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...

announced a $750 million play in the state's Utica Shale

Utica Shale

The Utica Shale is a stratigraphical unit of Middle Ordovician age in the Appalachian Basin. Itunderlies much of the northeastern United States and adjacent parts of Canada....

Infrastructure

V&M Star Steel, a subsidiary of France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

-based Vallourec

Vallourec

Vallourec S.A. is a French group of companies specialised in hot rolled seamless steel tubes, expandable tubular technology, automotive parts and stainless steel. The firm is headquartered in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt...

, announced plans to construct a $650 million plant in Youngstown

Youngstown, Ohio

Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

in February 2010 because of the drilling boom, expanding existing operations in the state, which broke ground in June of that year. Later in February, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

-based TMK IPSCO

OAO TMK

OAO "TMK" is one of the world's leading producers of steel pipes for the oil and gas sector...

opened a production facility in Brookfield through a subsidiary, Ultra Premium Oilfield Services, with the Marcellus Shale exploration boom cited as the reason. By June 2010, TMK IPSCO had cited skyrocketing sales commensurate with the "boom".

In July 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a $5 million grant to train workers for Marcellus shale drilling, including laborers in Ohio. In August of that year, Kinder Morgan

Kinder Morgan

Kinder Morgan, Inc. is an American energy company. It is also, through a subsidiary, the general partner of and owner of many of the interests in Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, a publicly traded pipeline and terminal limited partnership....

announced plans to construct a 230-240 mile-long underground pipeline, which would transport recovered natural gas supplies in Western Pennsylvania from West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

to Toledo, ultimately connecting with existing pipelines in Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

and Southern Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

. In September, Warren

Warren, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile...

's water treatment facility announced plans to become the first in the state to accept waste water from shale drilling, while at the 2010 Marcellus Summit in State College, Pennsylvania

State College, Pennsylvania

State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...

, state officials announced they were working with local officials on bonding issues for new infrastructure.

Laurel Mountain Midstream announced in October plans to expand its pipeline collection system covering wells in Ohio, and later that month Texas-based El Paso Midstream Group and Spectra Energy

Spectra Energy

Spectra Energy Corp is a S&P 500 company headquartered in Houston, Texas, that operates in three key areas of the natural gas industry: transmission and storage, distribution, and gathering and processing. Spectra was formed in late 2006 from the spin-off from Duke Energy...

signed a memorandum of understanding to construct their Marcellus Ethane Pipeline System to connect existing Ohio and Pennsylvania pipelines with Gulf Coast destinations. Later that month U.S. Steel

U.S. Steel

The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...

announced their Lorain

Lorain, Ohio

Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland....

facility would begin work to meet the demands of drilling activities.

Environmental concerns

In October 2010 it was reported that drilling in the shale was causing uranium deposits to be released.

Coal

Ohio is ranked #7 in the country in overall coal

Coal

Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...

reserves, with 23 billion short tons, 11 billion which is recoverable. In 2008, the state mined 26 million short tons of coal, ranking #11 in the country in production.

The Baard Project, to be located in Wellsville

Wellsville, Ohio

Wellsville is a village in Columbiana County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 4,133 at the 2000 census.-History:...

and led by Washington

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

-based Baard Energy, in October 2010 announced it will begin construction on a facility to liquify coal into jet and diesel fuel after receiving $2.5 billion for the first phase of the $6 billion project.

The state has also become a target for a similar synthetic oil operation by Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

-based CoalStar Industries.

Renewable

Ohio is part of the emerging "Green Belt" in the United States, as companies flock to the industrial Midwest and Northeast to take advantage of the proximity to the infrastructure, resources, and skilled labor available. Through 2007, Ohio ranked #4 in the country for "green" economic growth, according to the Pew Charitable Trust. In 2008, Site Selection magazine ranked Ohio #1 in the nation in alternative energy manufacturing, with 135 projects. In 2006, renewable energy revenues in Ohio were $775 million, creating 6,615 jobs.

On October 22, 2008, in a unanimous vote, the Ohio legislature has passed, and Governor Ted Strickland

Ted Strickland

Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....

has signed into law, Senate Bill 221 requiring 12.5% of Ohio's energy be generated from renewable sources by 2025. This built on initiatives from the previous administration of Bob Taft

Bob Taft

Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...

, who led with an "Energy Action Plan" and placed mandates on ethanol and renewable energy use for the state government, while providing incentives for production and consumption to the private market.

Solar

Through 2010, Ohio was ranked #2 in solar manufacturing in the United States behind Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

, employing 1088 amongst manufacturers and installers. Between 2007-2010, the state received nearly $750 million in solar investments.

The Toledo metro area is recognized nationally as a "seat of solar energy," nicknamed "Solar Valley." The area is home to large solar production facilities, including Willard and Kelsey Solar Group, which will begin production in 2011 in a 280000 square feet (26,012.9 m²), $250 million facility. First Solar

First Solar

First Solar, Inc. is an American manufacturer of thin film photovoltaic modules, or solar panels, and a provider to PV power plants of supporting services that include finance, construction, maintenance and end-of-life panel recycling...

has manufacturing operations Perrysburg

Perrysburg, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,945 people, 6,592 households, and 4,561 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,899.2 people per square mile . There were 6,964 housing units at an average density of 780.5 per square mile...

, which recently completed a $141 million expansion of current facilities. First Solar is the fourth largest manufacturer of solar PV panels in the world, and the largest manufacturer of thin film solar modules in the United States. Xunlight Corp. in headquartered Toledo

Toledo, Ohio

Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...

, and Cal-YXO USA, a subsidiary of Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

-based Q-Cells AG

Q-Cells

Q-Cells is a manufacturer of photovoltaic cells, established in 1999. Its core business is the development, production and marketing of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells....

, is located in the metro area. In 2010, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

-based Dysesol and United Kingdom

United Kingdom

-based Pilkington North America

Pilkington

Pilkington Group Limited is a multinational glass manufacturing company headquartered in St Helens, United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of the Japan-based NSG Group...

announced a joint venture called DyeTec Solar, to be based in Toledo, specializing in the development of transparent conductive oxide glass for the solar industry.

There are 115 companies and research institutions involved in developing solar energy in the state. Other companies specializing in solar include DuPont

DuPont

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...

, which is undertaking a $175 million expansion at their Circleville

Circleville, Ohio

Circleville is a city in and the county seat of Pickaway County, Ohio, United States, along the Scioto River. The population was 13,485 at the 2000 census.-History:...

facility, Owens Corning

Owens Corning

Owens Corning Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of fiberglass and related products. It was formed in 1935 as a partnership between two major American glassworks, Corning Glass Works and Owens-Illinois. The company was spun off as a separate entity on November 1, 1938...

, SolarGystics, Innovative Thin Films, Shadeplex, Buckeye Silicon, Maumee Authority Stamping, Advanced Distributed Generation, and Nextronex in Toledo, Melink Corporation in Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...

, which recently made Inc. 5000's list of fastest growing companies in the United States for the fourth year in a row; Third Sun Solar in Athens

Athens, Ohio

Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...

, The Renaissance Group in Kirtland

Kirtland, Ohio

Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...

, Solar Grid in Cleveland Heights

Cleveland Heights, Ohio

Cleveland Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The city's population was 46,121 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cleveland Heights is located at ....

, SunFlower Solutions in Cleveland, Dovetail Solar and Wind in Glouster

Glouster, Ohio

Glouster is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,972 at the 2000 census. It is close to Burr Oak State Park.-History:...

, Solar Creations in Mansfield

Mansfield, Ohio

Mansfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Richland County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau, approximately southwest of Cleveland and northeast of Columbus....

, SunLight Energy Systems in North Lawrence

North Lawrence, Ohio

North Lawrence is a census-designated place in southwestern Lawrence Township, Stark County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44666. The community is part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area.-References:...

, and Blue Chip Solar and Wind in Cincinnati.

Youngstown

Youngstown

Youngstown may refer to:A place*Canada**Britannia Youngstown, Edmonton, Alberta**Youngstown, Alberta*United States**Youngstown, Florida**Youngstown, Indiana**Youngstown, New York**Youngstown, Ohio***Youngstown State University...

-based Northern States Metals manufacturers the popular Solar FlexRack, which reduces installation time by 88%. Energy Focus, Inc., with its headquarters in Solon

Solon, Ohio

Solon is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and is an affluent suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio Region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 23,348...

, is a major supplier of lighting solutions, including solar cells, whose work includes R&D and other projects for the Department of Energy, DARPA, and Naval Air Systems Command

Naval Air Systems Command

The Naval Air Systems Command provides material support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. NAVAIR was established in 1966 as the successor to the Navy's Bureau of Naval Weapons . Current Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, is Vice Adm. David Architzel since May...

.

2010 saw Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

-based Astrum Solar announcing the opening of offices in Youngstown, citing a growing demand in the region, while in October New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

-based Iosil Energy announced a $13.5 million pilot manufacturing operation in Columbus. Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

-based Prius Energy S.L. and Malaga Isofoton North America

Isofoton

ISOFOTON is a global company, present in over 60 countries. ISOFOTON is involved in designing, manufacturing, and supplying Solar Energy products. Its activities are centered in three technology categories: Photovoltaic, Thermal, and High Concentration Photovoltaic.- History :ISOFOTON was founded...

also announced construction plans for their North American manufacturing operations in the state later in the year.

In April 2011, Germany

Germany

-based TecnoSun Solar announced it was locating its North American headquarters in Toledo, in collaboration with the University of Toledo.

Projects

Solar projects in Ohio in the 21st century have advanced including major and novel. American Electric Power

American Electric Power

is constructing the largest solar array east of the Rockies

Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...

, and a Juwi Solar operation in the Toledo-area is one of the largest in the Midwest.

Solar Valley

In October 2010, the Third Frontier

Third Frontier

The Third Frontier Project is a type of economic development initiative by the State of Ohio to expand research and technology economic development in the state...

awarded a $3.5 million grant toward the Solar Valley Research Enterprise, a partnership between the University of Toledo

University of Toledo

The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...

, Dow Corning

Dow Corning

Dow Corning is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, USA. Dow Corning specializes in silicon and silicone-based technology, offering more than 7,000 products and services...

, First Solar

First Solar

, and Xunlight.

Fuel cell

Ohio is recognized internationally as a leader in fuel cell technology, nicknamed the "Fuel Cell Corridor" with over 800 companies in the industry supply chain. Since 2002, the state government has invested $88 million, along with $300 million in federal funding, in research and development. In 2006, revenues for the industry in the state totalled $80 million, creating 1,030 jobs. By 2009, the state was among the top five in the nation in the industry, while the Ohio Fuel Cell Association was the largest by membership in the country. Catacel, headquartered in Garrettsville

Garrettsville, Ohio

Garrettsville is a village in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It was formed from portions of Hiram, Nelson, and Freedom townships in the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 2,262 at the 2000 census. On July 1, 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 2,203 people resided in the...

, reported a
72% revenue growth between 2008 and 2009. The state is home to over 60,000 specialized employees for the industry with an average salary of $68,000 annually.

Over 100 companies focused on fuel-cell production dot the state. Notables include Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce North America

Rolls-Royce North America, Inc. is a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce plc involved principally in the manufacture of gas turbine engines and other propulsion systems...

Fuel Cell Systems, headquartered in Canton, NexTech Materials located in Columbus, which produces the SenseH2 Hydrogen Sensor; Graftech's global headquarters in Parma

Parma, Ohio

Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is the largest suburb of Cleveland and the seventh largest city in the state of Ohio...

, American Hydrogen Corporation in Athens

Athens, Ohio

, Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems in Springboro

Springboro, Ohio

Springboro is an affluent suburb of Cincinnati and Dayton located in Warren and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is in Warren County's Clearcreek and Franklin Townships and Montgomery County's Miami Township...

, HydroGen Corporation, headquartered in Cleveland, Pemery Corporation in Brecksville

Brecksville, Ohio

-External links:* * *...

, Pacific Fuel Cell Company, which has a manufacturing operation in Willoughby

Willoughby, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,621 people, 10,265 households, and 5,892 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,225.3 people per square mile . There were 10,700 housing units at an average density of 1,052.6 per square mile...

; Hawk Corporation, headquartered in Cleveland and sold in October 2010 to Carlisle Companies

Carlisle (manufacturer)

Carlisle Companies, Inc. is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based diversified manufacturing company serving construction materials, commercial roofing, specialty tire and wheel, power transmission, heavy-duty brake and friction, heavy-haul truck trailer, foodservice and data transmission industries.-...

for $413 million, and Catacel is located in Garrettsville

Garrettsville, Ohio

.

The Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet Cruze

The Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...

is manufactured at Lordstown Assembly

Lordstown Assembly

The Lordstown Complex is a General Motors automobile factory in Lordstown, Ohio comprising three facilities: Vehicle Assembly, Metal Center, and Paint Shop. The plant opened in 1966. Lordstown currently builds the global Chevrolet Cruze compact car....

. AMP Holdings of Blue Ash

Blue Ash, Ohio

Blue Ash is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and an inner suburb of Cincinnati, which is located just to the south. The population was 12,513 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blue Ash is located at ....

specializes in lithium battery-based fuel cell technology, including systems developed for the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

Chevrolet Equinox

The second generation Equinox was announced by GM on December 21, 2008, and debuted at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2010 Equinox went on sale in June 2009. It is built on a stiffened version of the same "Theta" platform used in the previous model. The new Equinox...

, the Saturn Sky

Saturn Sky

The Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT...

, and the Pontiac Solstice

Pontiac Solstice

The Pontiac Solstice is a small sports car from the Pontiac division of General Motors. Introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, the Solstice roadster began production in Wilmington, Delaware, starting in mid-2005 for the 2006 model year. The exterior styling of the...

. In 2010 they signed a contract to deliver 1000 vehicles to Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

-based Northern Lights Energy.

California-based CODA

Coda Automotive

CODA Automotive Inc. is a privately held American company headquartered in Los Angeles, California, that designs, semi manufactures, and sells electric vehicles and Lithium-ion battery systems built for automotive and power storage utility applications...

in 2010 announced plans for a $657 million electric fuel-cell manufacturing operation to be based in Columbus, led by Lio Energy Systems, a joint venture with China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

-based Linshen Power Battery. In September 2010, the city of Columbus extended $32.6 million in incentives to the project, complimenting requested federal loans as well as $100 million in tax incentives extended by the state in May. In October 2010, the Third Frontier

Third Frontier

The Third Frontier Project is a type of economic development initiative by the State of Ohio to expand research and technology economic development in the state...

extended a $2 million grant to the project.

In October 2010, New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

-based BASF Corporation, a subsidiary of Germany-based BASF

BASF

BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...

, broke ground on a $50 million lithium-ion battery materials production facility in Elyria

Elyria, Ohio

-Community:Elyria has an extensive, although financially burdened, community food pantry and "Hot Meals" program administered through the Second Harvest Food Bank and several churches Elyria is served by Elyria Memorial Hospital.-Recreation and parks:...

, the most advanced in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

. In November 2010, SB LiMotive

SB LiMotive

SB LiMotive is a 50:50 joint company of Bosch and Samsung SDI founded in June 2008. The joint venture develops and manufactures lithium-ion batteries for use in hybrid-, plug-in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles.-Milestones:...

, a joint venture between Germany

Germany

-based Bosch

Robert Bosch GmbH

Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...

and Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

-based Samsung

Samsung

The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...

, announced it would assemble high-tech batteries for the Fiat 500EV at their Springboro facility.

In January 2011, Venturi Automobiles announced plans to locate their North American headquarters near the campus of the Ohio State University

Ohio State University

The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...

in Columbus.

Research and development

The Battelle Memorial Institute

Battelle Memorial Institute

Battelle Memorial Institute is a private nonprofit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle is a charitable trust organized as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio and is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the...

is involved in research and development of the industry. Cleveland is home to the Wright Fuel Cell Center. NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland leads the nation's research and development of fuel cell technology for Space exploration.

In September 2010, the Fuel Cell Prototyping Center at Stark State College of Technology

Stark State College of Technology

Stark State College of Technology , also known as Stark State College and Stark State, is a public college located in Stark County, Ohio. The school offers 200 majors, options, one-year certificates and career enhancement certificates. Approximately 4,000 noncredit students are enrolled in...

was awarded a $1.7 million research contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a solid oxide fuel cell in collaboration with Lockheed-Martin and Technology Management

Technology Management

Technology Management is set of management disciplines that allows organizations to manage its technological fundamentals to create competitive advantage...

, aimed at defense energy independence from oil.

Nanotek Instruments in Dayton developed a coin-size ultracapacitor cell from graphene as an alternative to traditional commercial batteries in December 2010.

Projects and awards

In 2010, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

-based Ballard Power Systems

Ballard Power Systems

Ballard Power Systems , located in Burnaby, British Columbia -- a suburb of Vancouver -- is a company that designs, develops, and manufactures zero emission proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells. This company has made a bus that uses only hydrogen fuel cells. These fuel cells combine hydrogen and...

, in collaboration with FirstEnergy of Ohio, shipped their CLEARgen generator, the world's largest fuel cell, to Eastlake

Eastlake, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 20,255 people, 8,055 households, and 5,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,166.5 people per square mile . There were 8,310 housing units at an average density of 1,299.1 per square mile...

for a trial powering 500 homes over 5 years.

Later that year, Maumee

Maumee, Ohio

Maumee is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Toledo along the Maumee River. The population was 14,286 at the 2010 census. Maumee was also declared an All-America City by the National Civic League in June 2006.-Geography:...

-based Dana Holding Corporation won the Gold Award for its advancements in polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the top honor at the 10th Annual Fuel Cell Congress held in Stuttgart, Germany.

A fun note, in 2010 the Ohio State University

Ohio State University

student-built Buckeye Bullet 2, a fuel cell vehicle built in collaboration with Monaco

Monaco

Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...

-based Venturi Automobiles and equipped with a Ballard

Ballard Power Systems

fuel cell, set a FIA world speed record for electric vehicles in reaching 307.7 mi/h, eclipsing the previous record of 245.5 mi/h. The vehicle had reached speeds of 314.9 mi/h in 2004, but failed FIA safety requirements.

Wind

Ohio has 532 companies in the wind energy supply chain, and trails only California in industrial potential. The state is currently #27 in wind energy production. In 2006, revenues from wind energy production totaled $250 million, creating 1,700 jobs. Through 2011, an estimated 7500 employment positions were estimated to be wind-related. During the second half of 2011, Ohio ranked #5 in the nation in new wind energy production at 56.6 MW.

Companies specializing or involved in wind infrastructure production and retail include Twenty First Century Energy LLC, which recently received $1.2 million federal grant to develop turbines for the military, Jetstream Power International in Holmesville

Holmesville, Ohio

Holmesville is a village in Holmes County, Ohio, United States, along Killbuck Creek. The population was 386 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Holmesville is located at ....

, Four Seasons Windpower in Medina

Medina, Ohio

In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males...

, Ohio Windmill Manufacturing Company in Berlin Center, North Coast Wind and Power in Port Clinton

Port Clinton, Ohio

Port Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,056 at the 2010 census. The city has been nicknamed the "Walleye Capital of the World."...

, Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co., Inc. in Bedford Heights

Bedford Heights, Ohio

-External links:*...

, Ashland Inc. in Dublin

Dublin, Ohio

Dublin is a city in Franklin, Delaware, and Union counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 41,751 at the 2010 census. Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Approximately 57,000 people live within the Dublin school district....

, American Tower Company in Shelby, Ohio

Shelby, Ohio

Shelby is a city in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio, northwest of the city of Mansfield. It is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.-History:...

, Canton Drop Forge in Canton

Canton, Ohio

Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, Green Energy Technologies in Akron, Michael Byrne Mfg. Co. Inc. in Akron, Molded Fiber Glass Companies in Ashtabula, Caldwell Energy Options in Wooster

Wooster, Ohio

Wooster is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Wayne County. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio approximately SSW of Cleveland and SW of Akron. Wooster is noted as the location of The College of Wooster...

, O'Brock Windmill Distributors in North Benton

North Benton, Ohio

North Benton is an unincorporated community in northern Smith Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44449. It lies along State Route 14 between Salem and Ravenna....

, Presto Wind Products in Cincinnati, National Electric Coil in Columbus

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

, Parker Hannifin

Parker Hannifin

Parker Hannifin Corporation , originally Parker Appliance Company, usually referred to as just Parker, of Mayfield Heights, Ohio , is the global leader in motion and control technologies. The company was founded in 1918, and has been publicly traded on the NYSE since December 9, 1964...

in Cleveland, Swiger Coil Systems in Cleveland, WebCore Technologies in Miami Township

Miami Township, Montgomery County, Ohio

Miami Township is one of the nine townships of Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 50,735.-Geography:Located in the southern part of the county, it borders the following townships and cities:*Moraine - north...

and Vanner Inc. in Hilliard

Hilliard, Ohio

Hilliard is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 28,435 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hilliard is located at . It is bordered on the east by Upper Arlington, on the north by Dublin, on the south by Galloway and Columbus, and to the west lies open farmland...

. Red Hawk Systems manufactures wind energy components, as well as photovoltaic systems for solar energy, and fuel cell systems for automobiles. Akron-based Timken

Timken Company

The Timken Company is a global manufacturer of bearings, alloy steels, and related components and assemblies.- History :The company was founded by Henry Timken in St. Louis, Missouri in 1899 and incorporated as The Timken Roller Bearing Axle Company. A year earlier, in 1898, Timken got a patent...

has invested $200 million for retooling their operations to meet the energy sector demand.

In 2009, Lorain County Community College

Lorain County Community College

Lorain County Community College is a community college located in the city of Elyria in Lorain County, Ohio, which is part of the Northeast Ohio region. It was visited by Barack Obama, the President of the United States, in January 2010....

became the first higher-education institution in the state to offer an associate degree in wind turbine power generation, in which almost five dozen students immediately enrolled.

In 2011 The Timken Company announced it would construct the first large wind-turbine gearbox system research and development center, an $11.8 million project to be located in Canton.

Projects

In 1998, the city of Bowling Green

Bowling Green, Ohio

Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...

began studying the feasibility of wind energy, and eventually became the first municipality in the state to construct wind turbines for commercial use, a $9.2 million project resulting in the reduction of kilowatt per hour cost from $.10 to $.025-.035. The northwest region is recognized as the pioneer for the state in wind energy.

Ohio has enormous wind energy potential in Lake Erie and in the western portion of the state. Numerous wind energy projects have popped up, ready to produce thousands of megawatts of power. They include Legacy Renewable Energy Development's proposed $120 million tri-county project near Lake Erie, the Buckeye Wind Project in Champaign County

Champaign County, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 38,890 people, 14,952 households, and 10,870 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 people per square mile . There were 15,890 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...

, and the Northwest Ohio Wind Energy project in Grover Hill

Grover Hill, Ohio

Grover Hill is a village in Paulding County, Ohio, United States. The population was 412 at the 2000 census. The village is named after President Grover Cleveland.-Geography:Grover Hill is located at ....

In June 2010, General Electric

General Electric

General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...

, in cooperation with the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation, announced the first freshwater-offshore wind turbine initiative in North America, a $100 million pilot project. The project will also include California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

-based Bechtel

Bechtel

Bechtel Corporation is the largest engineering company in the United States, ranking as the 5th-largest privately owned company in the U.S...

.

In August 2010, 400 MW from 191 turbines was approved for construction at the Blue Creek Wind Farm and Timber Road Wind Farm. The Wind Energy Research and Development Center at Stark State College of Technology was announced later that year, with $8 million in investment from the Third Frontier

Third Frontier

The Third Frontier Project is a type of economic development initiative by the State of Ohio to expand research and technology economic development in the state...

, Timken

Timken Company

, and the college.

In October 2010, Germany

Germany

-based Siemens

Siemens

Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...

signed a letter of intent with the Lake Erie Alternative Power group for a $13 billion off-shore wind energy project, projected to create 30,000 jobs in the tri-state region of Ohio, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, and Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

. Also that month Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

-based MidAmerican Energy

MidAmerican Energy

MidAmerican Energy may refer to one of the following:*MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, a holding company controlled by Berkshire Hathaway*MidAmerican Energy Company, an energy company and subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company...

and American Electric Power announced their 11-state "Smartransmission" power line project to transmit generated wind energy would cost $20 billion and could be finished by next decade.

Ethanol

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...

is a biofuel leader in the state, with $700 million in annual sales. 146 million bushels of corn from the state are purchased yearly to produce it. The state has five production facilities, including POET

POET LLC

POET LLC is a U.S. biofuel company that specializes in the creation of bioethanol. The privately held corporation, which was originally called Broin Companies, is headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 2007, the Renewable Fuels Association named POET the largest U.S. ethanol producer,...

facilities Marion

Marion, Ohio

Marion is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Marion County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus....

, Leipsic

Leipsic, Ohio

Leipsic is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,236 at the 2000 census.-History:Leipsic was platted in 1857....

, and Fostoria; a Marathon

Marathon

The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...

facility in Greenville, and a Valero

Valero

Valero Energy Corporation is a Fortune 500 international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, other petrochemical products, and power based in San Antonio, Texas, United States...

facility.

Biomass

The state is #7 in the nation in biomass potential, with over 7 million dry tons produced.

Anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic digestion is a series of processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. It is used for industrial or domestic purposes to manage waste and/or to release energy....

companies in the state include French Creek BioEnergy in Sheffield Village, Forest City Land Development in Cleveland, Haviland Co. in Haviland, Ohio

Haviland, Ohio

Haviland is a village in Paulding County, Ohio, United States. The population was 180 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Haviland is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...

, Hord Livestock, Inc. in Bucyrus

Bucyrus, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,224 people, 5,559 households, and 3,552 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,812.0 people per square mile . There were 5,955 housing units at an average density of 816.0 per square mile...

, Comp Dairy Energy in Dorset Township, Lime Lake Energy in Norton

Norton, Ohio

Norton is a city in Summit and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 11,523 at the 2000 census.The Summit County portion of Norton is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the small portion in Wayne County is part of the Wooster Micropolitan Statistical...

, Northwest BioEnergy in Toledo, Sidco-Development in St. Clairsville

St. Clairsville, Ohio

St. Clairsville is a city in Belmont County, Ohio in the United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,057 at the 2000 census. This county seat of Belmont County has been nicknamed "Paradise on the Hill." St. Clairsville was named after...

, Wooster Renewable Energy in Wooster

Wooster, Ohio

, and Zanesville Energy in Zanesville

Zanesville, Ohio

Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...

.

Columbus-based American Electric Power

American Electric Power

announced in 2010 it would begin supplying generating stations in the state with a biodiesel blended with red-dyed No. 2 fuel oil to undergo evaluations in complying with the alternative energy standards of the state.

Phycal, an algae energy company based in Highland Heights

Highland Heights, Ohio

-External links:*...

with research facilities and pilot projects in Hawaii, recently accounced another $9 million pilot project to be located in Hoover, Alabama

Hoover, Alabama

Hoover is a city in Jefferson and Shelby Counties in north central Alabama, in the United States. The largest suburb of Birmingham, the population of the city was 62,742 as of the 2000 census and 81,619 in the 2010 census. Hoover is part of the Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA and is also included in the...

producing algae for commercial fuel purposes. Maumee

Maumee, Ohio

-based Red Lion Bio-Energy operates a synthesis biogas production plant with the University of Toledo.

In December 2010, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

-based Greenwood Fuels announced the construction of a $9 million, 150,000 ton-per year manufacturing facility for alternative fuels.

Research and development

The Edison Materials Technology Center in Kettering has received a $2 million federal grant to develop biofuel from algae for the military. In 2010, the University of Toledo

University of Toledo

The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...

and Ohio University

Ohio University

Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...

were selected to lead Center for Algal Engineering Research and Commercialization project, funded by the Third Frontier, which will focus on the emerging algae biofuel industry.

A Marysville

Marysville, Ohio

Marysville is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Ohio, United States. The population was 15,942 at the 2000 census, and the Census Bureau estimated that it had risen to 17,621 by 2006.Marysville's longtime slogan is "Where the Grass is Greener"...

-based subsidiary of Univenture developed a cost-effective technique for producing algae and has garned global attention for their breakthrough technology, including a $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Featured on Austrian state television in November 2010, the company announced a $9 million expansion project in December. Arisdyne Systems, based in Cleveland, develops new technologies for the industry. NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has invested in microalgae research for potential jet fuel.

Jerome Township-based Velocys has developed microchannel technology for producing cellulosic diesel, which has demonstration commitments in Austria, Brazil, and at Wright-Patterson in Dayton. Quasar Energy Group develops biofuel producing technologies and is headquartered in Wooster

Wooster, Ohio

.

In 2010, the Ohio State University

Ohio State University

won the U.S. Department of Energy's EcoCar competition. Ohio University

Ohio University

Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...

inventor Dr. Geradine Botte in 2010 unveiled a new firm, Athens-based E3 Technologies, to develop her "Green Box" invention. The "Green Box" converts wastewaster to hydrogen energy.

Oberlin

Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, to the south and west of Cleveland. Oberlin is perhaps best known for being the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students...

-based Switzer Performance recently built a Nissan GTR, called the E900, that runs on ethanol, with 900 hp and acceleration which can reach 60-130 mph in six seconds. In September 2010, Oxford Resource Partners of Columbus and Mendel Biotechnology of California announced a pilot project to test reclaimed mining land in eastern Ohio for production of bioenergy crops.

Geothermal

Professor Carl Nielsen of The Ohio State University invented the first ground source heat pump heating system in 1948 in Columbus

Columbus, Ohio

. In 2006, revenue created from geothermal totalled $112 million, creating 1,270 jobs. The largest family-owned geothermal drilling company and one of the largest companies for such in the United States, Jackson Geothermal, is headquartered in Mansfield

Mansfield, Ohio

Hydroelectric

Columbus is home to a national leader in hydroelectric power development, American Municipal Power, Inc. They currently have five plants under development along the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

, including the 84MW Cannelton project, 105 MW Meldhahl project, 48 MW Robert C. Bird project, 72 MW Smithland project, and 35 MW Millow Island project. They also operate the existing Belleville Hydroelectric Plant. Other notable hydroelectric plants and operations include Stockport Mill Country Inn and the O'Shaughnessy Dam

O'Shaughnessy Dam (Ohio)

The O'Shaughnessy Dam is located on the Scioto River near Dublin, Ohio, United States. The dam forms O'Shaughnessy Reservoir, which is a major source of drinking water for the city of Columbus. It was completed in 1925 following recommendations of then superintendent Jerry O'Shaughnessy...

.

The $500 million Meldhahl project, led by the city of Hamilton

Hamilton, Ohio

, will be the largest in the Midwest. It will make the city the most prolific municipal generator of renewable energy in the Midwest with over 70%, and one of the largest municipal producers in the country.

Nuclear

Ohio is home to two nuclear power plants, the Davis-Besse

Davis-Besse

Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station is a nuclear power plant with a single pressurized water reactor, also referred to as a light water reactor. As of 2011, it is operated by the FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp...

facility and Piqua facility

Perry Nuclear Generating Station

The Perry Nuclear Power Plant is located on a 1,100-acre site on Lake Erie, 40 miles northeast of Cleveland in North Perry, Ohio, USA...

. A third is planned for construction in Piketon

Piketon, Ohio

Piketon is a village in Pike County, Ohio, United States, along the Scioto River. The village is best known for the uranium enrichment plant located there . The population was 1,907 at the 2000 census...

, at a cost of $10 billion and with promise of 3000 construction jobs. The project is being led by Duke Energy

Duke Energy

Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...

.

Piketon is already home to the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a former uranium enrichment plant built in 1954 and used for energy and weaponry purposes. It ceased in 2001 to perform its main functions, but carried on with relatively small tasks, until the United States Enrichment Corporation, which owns the facility, constructed the American Centrifuge Demonstration Facility at the site. Construction also has begun on the American Centrifuge Plant, which was expected to reach commercial capacity in 2010, but because of lack of funding, has been relegated to research tasks.

France

France

-based Areva

Areva

AREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. AREVA is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome , Cogema and...

began operational testing of their new facility in Portsmouth, called the DUF6 project, in 2010, which will convert 700,000 metric tons of depleted uranium hexafluoride into uranium oxide. It became fully operational later that year in September.

Ohio has an above average concentration of uranium

Uranium

Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...

in southern Ohio, as well as in the Ohio shale located in the western and central part of the state.

Modern environment movement

Ohio historically has suffered environmental damage from its industrial and energy base. Despite being an advanced energy state, it has been ranked last in addressing environmental issues and alternative energy consumption, and 47th in carbon footprint

Carbon footprint

.

The modern American environmental movement concerning legislation and awareness, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Clean Water Act

Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Commonly abbreviated as the CWA, the act established the goals of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water, eliminating additional water pollution by 1985, and ensuring that...

, can largely be traced back to the Cuyahoga River

Cuyahoga River

fire of June 22, 1969. One of the leading causes of the fire was oil discharged into the river by nearby refineries. The fire also inspired the Randy Newman

Randy Newman

Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....

song "Burn On."

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