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    Idea Forge: Local Leaders Can Adopt Clean Energy Solutions

    On Thursday, April 2nd, Forge Columbus is partnering with Small Business Majority to host a business roundtable that will outline opportunities for our city’s community businesses to engage in the adoption of clean energy solutions.

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    Last year, Ohio suffered major setbacks to the state’s once burgeoning clean energy sector. The Ohio legislature passed a set of bills that froze the state’s modest renewable energy and energy efficiency goals while imposing debilitating restrictions on the development of future wind farms. Already, national and global clean energy industry leaders, such as Iberdrola Renewables and Energy Management Solutions, are leaving Ohio to focus on other markets.

    Despite these setbacks, businesses in Ohio have continued to move forward and incorporate innovative clean energy solutions into their current business operations. More importantly, these measures are being pursued not only to advance climate and environmental stewardship, but also to meet corporate financial goals. Over the past year, there have been several great examples of clean energy leadership from the Ohio business community:

    • Whirlpool and Bell Corporations recently finalized a partnership to construct a small wind farm in Findlay, Ohio – the project will be used to offset their electricity costs. Whirlpool estimates that the wind farm will reduce the electricity costs at their manufacturing facility by 22%.
    • Owens Corning, the world’s largest manufacturer of fiberglass, announced plans to install solar panels over a newly renovated 11-acre parking lot at the Toledo-based company’s headquarters. The solar carports will provide Corning with almost one-third of the headquarters’ electricity needs.
    • Amazon, which has set a long-term goal of powering its entire global infrastructure with renewable energy, plans to import over 150 MW of wind from Indiana to power a proposed mid-Ohio data center as well as other Amazon facilities across the state.

    While large corporations in Ohio are making significant strides, the state’s mosaic of small businesses, which represent 98% of all employers in the state, also have a significant opportunity to benefit from the adoption and deployment of clean energy solution. Surveys from the Small Business Majority reveal that small businesses are already leading the way. In fact, 87% of small businesses surveyed believed that improving innovation and energy efficiency are good ways to increase prosperity for small businesses. What’s more, 78% have already adopted some energy-efficient and environmentally–friendly practices in their business.

    The City of Columbus’ enhanced focus on energy and climate goals within the recently released Columbus Green Community Plan: Green Memo III is a promising sign. Through the Plan, the city’s leadership has given clear indication that it is prepared to advance a policy framework that supports the ambitions of local small businesses interested in reducing operations costs through the integration of clean energy solutions.

    The April 2nd business roundtable, which is open to the public and will take place from 10:00-11:30am at Strongwater Food and Spirits in Franklinton, will educate, engage, and empower Columbus-area small businesses to work with community leaders to pursue cost-effective clean energy solutions.

    For more information, visit www.forgecolumbus.org/events.

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    Tremaine Phillips
    Tremaine Phillipshttps://columbusunderground.com
    Tremaine Phillips is currently a Fellow of Forge Columbus and pursuing a dual-degree in energy and environmental law and policy through The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. Previously, he was the Chief Program Officer for Prima Civitas in East Lansing, Michigan and worked on energy and climate policy initiatives as an intern with the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Tremaine can be found on Twitter @CleanEnergyGuy.
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