Warnings Ohio's renewable energy mandate would cost consumers
dearly were dismissed by proponents of the law, who insisted
"going green" would create new jobs and benefit most Buckeye
State residents. But now, job losses and higher electric bills
are a reality - and they can be traced directly to government
attempts to shift power generation away from coal. A 2008 Ohio
law requires utilities doing business in the state to provide at
least 25 percent of the electricity for consumers from
"advanced" and "renewable" sources such as wind and solar
generation by 2025. Compliance, being phased in, jeopardizes
coal-fired power plants that provide economical electricity to
households and businesses. But utilities desiring to avoid fines
for failure to comply can purchase credits from other firms that
already possess alternative generating capacity. Earlier this
summer an investigation found two utilities serving northeast
Ohio had paid millions of dollars for such credits needlessly.
The cost was passed on to consume