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''Wind developers tend to stay away from states without a lot of supporting policies,'' said Kemp Jaycox, wind program manager for Green Energy Ohio. ''I would say overall, we're behind some of our neighbors.''
As of last week, the Ohio senate has passed a new bill that, in addition to curbing potentially exorbitant electric bills, will set benchmarks requiring Ohio's electric companies to generate 12.5 percent of their energy from renewable sources by the year 2025. Such a regulation, if passed into law, would give the renewable energy market in Ohio a tremendous boost.
Separate from the new bill, local officials have been working hard to attract alternative energy businesses to the area. Last week, the Lorain Port Authority approved a multi-million dollar loan to Global Green Technologies and Solutions, a geothermal company, to aid their business as they settle their national headquarters in Lorain.
The company plans to locate their offices in the St. Joseph Community Center on West 20th Street and establish a commercial geothermal business with clients around the country. The company, which could bring as many as 20 new jobs to the city, is still looking for a site to house their equipment and operations.
And while other green businesses have been rumored to be sniffing around for potential Lorain locations as well, some of the most promising possibilities are predicted to be blowing across the waters.
''Ohio definitely has a lot of potential,'' said Jaycox, ''especially along the lake.''
According to Jaycox, Cuyahoga County is evaluating the possibility of installing turbines in the lake, as California has in the ocean.
''The only issue with the Great Lakes is that they do freeze,'' said Richard Stuebi of the Cleveland Foundation. Stuebi, however, didn't think the obstacle was insurmountable, as he stated, ''We're pretty confident that designs and technology can accommodate the icing.''
The lake, despite the ice, does have some advantages over oceanic sites. When compared to the ocean, Lake Erie has no waves or salinity. Stuebi also pointed out that the lake is considerably shallow compared to an ocean.
Local officials are also excited about the considerable potential of the winds coming inland off the lake.
''We've been talking about wind energy since the beginning of my administration,'' said Lorain Mayor Anthony Krasienko. ''It's a huge industry we need to tap into.''
Turtle Plastics, a Lorain company that specializes in recycled plastic products, is making an effort to erect a 20 kilowatt turbine on their own commercial property. ''We're on a go situation where we hope to have this done by the end of the summer,'' said Turtle President Tom Norton.
After some initial confusion over where turbines can be installed, the city is working on a couple of new ordinances that would allow turbines, under 100 feet tall, in heavy industrial zoning areas. The Lorain Planning Commission is expected to address the issue on May 7.
Turtle, located in the industrial park off Baumhart Road in Lorain, is proceeding with their wind turbine ambitions with Mike Spacek, general manager of Engineered Process Systems, a Huron company that sells and installs wind turbines. Spacek is optmistic about the industry's future.
''The possibility for wind in northern Ohio is tremendous,'' said Spacek.
Spacek, along with company president Glen Ginesi, have their own operational 10 kilowatt turbine at their business in Huron. The turbine produces approximately a third of the electricity used by the company, which sells turbines ranging from 10 kilowatts up to a substantial 250 kilowatts.
The proposed 20-kilowatt tower for Turtle would be around 60 feet tall with three blades filling out a 16-foot wingspan, according to Spacek.
Tom Norton's brother Chuck, Turtle chief financial officer, noted that the company already utilizes recycled plastic for their business, along with skylights, a hybrid car and even a Volkswagen diesel Jetta that has been converted to run on vegetable oil.
''We want to be a part of the solution,'' Chuck said. ''The projected financial payback is about six to eight years, so there is that financial incentive, but moreover it's to prove that we can and must control our consumption.''
Bowling Green is so far, the only location in the state engaged in large-scale wind energy. The town is quickly proving the feasibility of the concept.
''There are four 1.8 megawatt Vestas turbines at the Wood County Landfill,'' said Green Energy Ohio President Donald Scherer.
Installed in pairs, the first two turbines were ready for operation in November 2003. Following their success, a second two were built a year after in November 2004.
All told, the four turbines cost 8.7 million dollars, which includes installation and wiring to the nearest substation, according to Scherer. Despite the cost, Scherer said the electrical output from the turbines has been enough stay afloat.
''The production has been more than adequate to meet the amortization payments,'' Scherer said. Of the region, he noted, ''There is ample wind at many locations to support power we can produce both cleanly and economically from wind turbines.''
The turbines sold by Engineered Process Systems can run about $2,000 to $3,000 per kilowatt and that's after state grants and funding. The state currently offers industrial grants that cover up to 50 percent of the installation cost or a maximum of $150 thousand, according to Spacek.
''The state has canceled the residential grant programs,'' Spacek said.
Without these grants the financial costs can be staggering. According to Oberlin College Professor of Physics John Scofield, the only way for wind turbines to be financially effective is through tax breaks, grants and subsidies.
However, ''You don't do everything in life to be cost effective,'' said Scofield.
''Is a blue blazer and a red tie cost effective?'' said Scofield. ''You're doing it for other reasons.''
Although there are other reasons for private companies and residences to invest in wind power, the same has not run true for energy companies, for whom the financial incentives were the only incentives.
''I think it's definitely going to take some legislation,'' said Jaycox.
Around half the states in the U.S. already have renewable energy standards, like the ones currently in the works for Ohio, which require investor owned utility companies to generate a certain percentage of newly developed energy from renewable sources, Jaycox said.
According to Jaycox, as of 2007, Pennsylvania has around 294 megawatts of optimal wind power, New York 425 megawatts and Illinois 733 megawatts. Ohio currently has the potential to generate seven megawatts, all of which come from the four towers at Bowling Green.
Ohio, despite being a few steps behind, has a great deal of room to expand into the renewable energy field and wind energy is at the forefront of the discussion.
''A heavy industrial, steel based industry, growing at 40 percent a year,'' according to Stuebi, wind energy is a near perfect fit for the industrial towns peppering northern Ohio.
''Our Lorain County businesses can supply parts for these new companies, expanding jobs,'' said Mike Challender of the Lorain Growth Corp.
''Wind is never going to be the complete answer,'' said Stuebi, but added, ''Our state and region can really benefit.''
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