Ohio’s new clean energy legislation signals an important shift and new momentum for affordability, reliability and independence, and facilitates accountability, potential business opportunities, and strengthens consumer protections.
Among other provisions, House Bill 15, signed into law in May, gives state regulators more oversight over electric utility rates, especially important as energy demand grows from heavy users like industry and data centers. It also cuts property taxes on new solar, wind, and battery storage from 25 percent to 7 percent, and recognizes battery storage as a generation resource, clearing up years of regulatory confusion and improving grid reliability. The law also opens the door for more businesses and manufacturers to install rooftop solar and battery systems through third-party ownership.
This shift comes after years of eroded public trust following the HB6 scandal, helping Ohio respond to rising energy demand with smarter, cleaner options. Grantees of Joyce’s Environment Program helped ensure a wide range of voices were informed and engaged throughout the policy process. Groups like Ohio Environmental Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Black Environmental Leaders provided nonpartisan research and policy analysis to business leaders, labor organizations, and local communities to understand what the changes in HB15 could mean for them. By making complex energy issues more accessible, their work helped build a shared understanding of how HB15 could support affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy statewide.
About The Joyce Foundation
Joyce is a nonpartisan, private foundation that invests in evidence-informed public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region.