• Projects may be built up to 10 MW or up to 20 MW for projects on brownfields or distressed sites
• Solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, hydroelectric power, microturbine, natural gas, energy storage system, or fuel cell projects allowed

Ohio State Rep. Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth and Rep. Jim Hoops, R-Napoleon, have introduced legislation in Ohio to establish a community energy pilot program on May 22, according to a press release.

The legislation has yet to receive a bill number and House Committee assignment.

This program was designed to address Ohio’s energy generation and infrastructure needs by implementing small-scale energy installations across the state.

The bill will allow solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, hydroelectric power, microturbine, natural gas, energy storage system, or fuel cell projects.

It will also allow projects to be built up to 10 MW with the exception of projects sited on brownfields, distressed sites, commercial or public sector rooftops, which may be built up to 20 MW.

Additional provisions of the bill, such as the scope of the program, have yet to be released.

Ohio’s 2025 legislative session adjourns on December 31, however the bill can be carried over into the 2026 session.

Legislation to establish a community solar program was first proposed in the state in 2021.

In the 2023-2024 session, a bill proposing a 1500 MW program, with 500 MW reserved for distressed and brownfield sites, died after receiving seven hearings. According to an earlier NPM interview, several factors contributed to its fate including its inability to clearly guarantee a majority of affirmative votes from the Republican caucus.

Last week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill (HB) 15—a sprawling energy bill that establishes a brownfield remediation grant program. The program, which will be administered by the Director of Development, prioritizes investment area eligible projects. Investment areas are defined in the bill as brownfields or former coal mines. Eligible projects are broadly defined in the bill as a project that generates, transports, stores, or transmits electricity.

Grants may be awarded up to USD 10m but may not be used for the construction or operation of electric generating infrastructure, the bill states.

Other provisions of HB 15 include creating a pathway for school districts to adopt clean energy projects and directing the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to conduct studies to evaluate the use or deployment of transmission infrastructure to enable safe, reliable, efficient, and cost-effective response to electric demand.

HB 15 takes effect on August 14.

According to NPM queue data, developers including AEP OnSite Partners, ENGIE Group, NextEra Energy, Madison Energy, and Summit Ridge Energy are developing projects under 20 MW in Ohio.

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