Energy industry is evolving towards sustainability, ecological cleanliness, and resilience towards economic crises. It is slowly moving away from gas and oil as primary means of energy generation, with technology being developed to supply homes, vehicles, and factories with energy while keeping emissions and pollution to a minimum. Ohio is in a precarious position in regards to these emerging trends. On the one hand, its geographical positioning, with plenty of flatlands and sun-exposed areas makes it a perfect place for alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar energy. On the other hand, it has shale oil deposits in its vicinity.
The first energy project in recent years has been announced in 2019. Keeler reports that a state-based initiative between Ohio and Shale Crescent USA will meet to develop strategies for innovation and ecological safety that would reflect better on the needs of business and local governments, rather than the overbearing federal regulations. The initiative is surmised to increase effectiveness of these efforts while creating jobs, generating tax revenue, and making things easier for Shale Crescent to operate drilling oil from shale deposits (Keeler). The initiative is promulgated by Bill Johnson, a republican senator from Marietta (Keeler).
My opinion on this initiative is two-fold. On the one hand, closer cooperation with local authorities allows for faster reaction times and better oversight when compared to federal inspection, which operates in blanket terms for everyone without considering the situation on the ground. If successful, Shale Crescent project would provide of up to 70% of domestic gas demand for the US and 50% for Canada (Keeler). At the same time, shale drilling is associated with numerous ecological problems, ranging from pollution of the local ecosystems during drilling, to the potential of eruption (Parviainen & Loukola-Ruskeeniemi, 2019). I believe these initiatives are inherently harmful to the environment, and at best they could reduce the impact, but not eliminate it completely (Parviainen and Loukola-Ruskeeniemi 71). Thus, I believe that the words about innovation and sustainability are likely lip service to the community, especially considering Trump’s overall stance on ecology.
The second energy project in Ohio involves the construction of the state’s largest solar-powered plant. Sylvia reports the beginning of the construction of Hillcrest Solar facility, which is estimated to provide 200 MW, thus nearly doubling the state’s solar power capacity, which currently sits at 248 MW. The project will cover 1,350 acres and will be located in Brown County, 45 miles away from Cincinnati (Sylvia). The company in charge of construction and development is Innergex Renewable Energy.
I have a high opinion and high hopes for this project. It takes advantage of the national geography and the availability of land in Ohio, in order to generate electricity. Solar powerplants are notorious for their ecological safety and a relative ease of construction and maintenance (Venkataraman et al. 77). Their primary weakness lies only in the lack of solar days and potential damage from the elements. Tornadoes are increasingly common in Ohio, with an average of 20-40 large-scale tornadoes occurring throughout the year. Such incidents may damage the facility (Sylvia). Nevertheless, the support from the state and various ecological funds is bound to compensate for any issues, thus making Hillcrest Solar facility a major source of energy for the surrounding communities in the region (Sylvia). Its power output is comparable to some of the water-based plants, only built much quicker and cheaper, without altering the surrounding ecosystem.
Works Cited
Keeler, Ben. “Marietta-based shale crescent USA to take part in energy and environment innovation showcase in Washington.” Bill Johnson, 2019, Web.
Parviainen, Annika, and Kirsti Loukola-Ruskeeniemi. “Environmental impact of mineralised black shales.” Earth-Science Reviews, vol. 192, 2019, pp. 65-90.
Sylvia, Tim. “Construction begins on Ohio’s largest solar project.” PV Magazine, 2020, Web.
Venkataraman, Sundar, et al. “Integrated wind, solar, and energy storage: Designing plants with a better generation profile and lower overall cost.” IEEE Power and Energy Magazine, vol. 16, no. 3, 2018, pp. 74-83.