DAYTON — “One sign that there was a bias in the information given to the Study Committee is an estimate that the unemployment rate would increase by 10% due to the original renewable portfolio standard. A careful reading shows that this number refers not to future losses, but estimated past losses from the RPS. This would be worrisome, if it weren’t for the fact that the analysts essentially blame all negative economic consequences of the 2007-2008 recession on renewable energy standards. Their reasoning: since most state renewable portfolio standards came into existence between 2006-2010, and there was a recession in that time period, renewable energy must cause job losses. If this is indicative of the quality of analysis they rely upon, then our representatives have been severely duped.
Our representatives sitting on the study committee are doing a great disservice to the State of Ohio in recommending that the Renewable Portfolio Standard be frozen indefinitely. In the end, I fear that Ohio will be left behind by other states looking toward a future when we will be more efficiently using increasingly sustainable, locally produced sources of energy that create good jobs for Ohioans.”
– Bob Brecha, professor of Physics and Renewable and Clean Energy at the University of Dayton, guest commentary WYSO
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