Energy Facts: Impact of the Investing in America Agenda on Ohio

On August 7, 2023, Secretary Granholm will visit the Buckeye State to highlight how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is driving a manufacturing boom powered by good-paying jobs and creating a clean energy economy that is lowering costs for families and businesses across the nation.
In Lancaster, the Secretary will commemorate the groundbreaking of a new battery manufacturing facility by Cirba Solutions before heading to Pickerington to meet with a homeowner who is saving money on her utility bills because of the President’s historic investments in weatherization and energy retrofit programs.
Finally, Secretary Granholm will will tour a Copeland facility and hear feedback from labs on the latest advancements in next generation sustainable heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration products.

In 2022, there were already 331,417 Ohio workers employed in the energy sector.
In the Columbus area in 2021, over 40% of the electric power generation workforce was in wind, solar, and hydroelectric, and almost 14,000 workers were employed in energy efficiency.
The Inflation Reduction Act will expand these opportunities, bringing an estimated $12.8 billion of investment in large-scale clean power generation and storage to Ohio between now and 2030.

Ohio is home to 996,693 small businesses, representing 99.6% of all businesses and employing 44.7% of all workers in the state, and the Inflation Reduction Act will help them save money. Commercial building owners can receive a tax credit up to $5 per square foot to support energy efficiency improvements that deliver lower utility bills. Other programs that will benefit small businesses include tax credits covering 30% of the costs of installing low-cost solar power and of purchasing clean trucks and vans for commercial fleets.

Currently, Ohio has 1.6 GW of solar, wind, and storage capacity. There is over 3.6 GW of additional planned clean energy capacity in the works in Ohio, which will more than double the amount of clean energy available on the state’s grid and power more than 402,000 additional homes. The Inflation Reduction Act tax credits that encourage investment in wind and solar will help reduce energy costs, as the costs of solar and wind power are projected to drop by 23% and 35%, respectively, over the next 30 years in Ohio.
Since the start of the Biden Administration, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has tracked more than $100 billion in new battery supply chain investments, including $8.6 billion in Ohio.
In the same period, DOE has tracked more than $5 billion in new solar manufacturing investments, including three facilities in Ohio which are bringing 1,200 new jobs to the state.

Ohio had over 47,000 Electric Vehicles (EV) already registered in the state in 2022, a 38% increase over the 34,300 registered in 2021. Drivers switching to an electric pickup truck could save over $1700 per year in fueling and maintenance costs compared to a gasoline-powered truck. Drivers of smaller cars could save over $1200 per year. The Inflation Reduction Act will make it easier and cheaper to purchase an electric vehicle, with upfront discounts up to $7,500 for new EVs and $4,000 for used EVs, helping many Americans skip the gas pump and save on fuel costs.
Ohio has 3,135 electric vehicle charging ports already. The state will also receive $20.7 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help build out more EV charging stations.

Thanks to funding from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy has made available more than $212 million in the past year to Ohio’s state and local governments to invest in energy efficiency and grid resilience. This includes administrative funding to build a robust rebate program to help low-income households access more efficiency appliances, and over $7 million to help strengthen grid resilience.
Cirba Solutions has received almost $75 million from DOE to expand and upgrade a lithium-ion recycling facility in Lancaster, Ohio.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program and State Energy Program have invested more than $134.5 million in Ohio since 2015, leading to 1,129 jobs and over 26,000 homes with reduced energy costs and improved health and safety.
Upgrading appliances and improving home energy efficiency could save a total of 14,200 GWh of energy in Ohio, enough to power 517,000 Ohio homes.
Ohio will receive over $249 million to implement a Home Energy Rebate program in the state. Low-income households in Ohio could save an average of 47% on their home energy bills when they upgrade their appliances and improve energy efficiency through this program.
The Inflation Reduction Act also includes grants to help state and local governments adopt the latest building energy codes, which would save the average new homeowner in Ohio 12% on their utility bills. That amounts to $261 per year.

The Biden Administration has committed to advancing equity for all communities, including through the Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure Federal agencies deliver at least 40% of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water, and other investments to disadvantaged communities. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has more than 140 programs covered by this initiative.
Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, participated in a DOE-sponsored peer learning cohort that will help cities deploy new financing strategies for a more equitable energy future. Columbus has also participated in a similar cohort to accelerate the deployment of equitable, grid-friendly electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Rural Action in Glouster, Ohio, was selected in the first round of the Energizing Rural Communities Prize for their proposal to develop community engagement programs to help facilitate Appalachian Ohio’s leadership in development of renewable energy. As a result they will receive $100,000, in-kind-mentorship services, and eligibility to compete in phase two of the prize to win an additional $200,000.
The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities has identified Southeastern Ohio as a priority energy community. This means that the federal government, including the DOE and 11 other partner agencies, are prioritizing this area for near-term investment and engagement to support community revitalization.