Making the Shift to Clean Energy
Climate change is creating imminent threats to people and nature, including rising sea levels, ecosystem collapse and more frequent severe weather events that weaken the power grid and disproportionately affect economically disadvantaged communities. Shifting to a clean energy future is critical for mitigating these threats caused by rising global temperatures and creating a climate-friendly future for Ohio.
Advances in wind and solar energy development are helping us make the shift toward renewable energy—a shift that will help us meet carbon reduction goals and curb the most severe threats from climate change. While wind and solar energy projects often require a physical footprint larger than coal, their clean power generation supports a healthy environment for surrounding communities.
To achieve a lower-carbon future in the U.S., research estimates that the necessary wind and solar energy infrastructure will require a footprint 2.5 times the size of the Great Lakes. But Earth’s converted lands, or those that have been previously developed and now remain as unproductive brownfields, can provide the needed area to meet clean energy demand at a level many times over what’s required to reach TNC's climate goals in Ohio.
Renewable Energy in Ohio
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Ohio is among the top 10 states for total energy consumption due to our large population, industrialized economy and seasonal temperature variations. Despite being one of the top energy consumers, however, Ohio ranks 40th out of 50 states in the race toward renewable energy progress. In 2021, just 4% of the state’s electricity was supplied by renewables, leaving plenty of room for growth.
