Resources > 10 Ohio cities have passed resolutions to support community energy HB303. Will yours be next?

10 Ohio cities have passed resolutions to support community energy HB303. Will yours be next?

• Factsheet

April 23, 2024

Recent victory

Ten Ohio Communities Pass Council Resolutions Supporting Community Energy Legislation 

Local officials call on Ohio Senate to pass House Bill 303 to lower electricity costs and strengthen energy reliability 

Columbus, OH – Ten communities all across Ohio have passed resolutions urging the Ohio Senate to approve House Bill 303, legislation that would establish Ohio’s first community energy pilot program. 

The resolutions recognize the urgent need to address rising electricity costs and growing energy demand in Ohio. In June 2025, Ohioans saw a 26% increase on their electricity bills, and prices are expected to rise at least an additional 5% this summer. Community energy programs have been shown to save households 5% to 20% on their electricity costs.

Communities that have passed resolutions include Springfield, Cleveland Heights, Stow, Columbus, Euclid, Fairview Park, Lakewood, Munroe Falls, Olmsted Falls, and Wyoming.

Fairview Park Council at Large, Kim Mann explained, “I want reliable, affordable energy that provides stability for the residents of Fairview Park. I’m proud and grateful that Fairview Park is at the vanguard of this effort to move our state forward as we seek to future-proof our energy infrastructure.”

House Bill 303, which passed the Ohio House with a bipartisan 77-8 vote last fall, would allow residents and businesses to voluntarily subscribe to shared energy facilities in their region and receive credits on their monthly electricity bills. The pilot program includes 1,500 MW of generation capacity—enough to power 300,000 to 400,000 homes—with strong consumer protections. 

Electricity costs are skyrocketing in large part due to greater demand than ever before from manufacturing and data centers. The legislation addresses Ohio’s growing energy challenges by putting more electrons on the grid, helping to bolster affordability and reliability by increasing locally produced supply.  

“In Stow, we saw our aggregate electric supply rate go up 83 percent in under two years. Clearly, we have to do something. Community energy and community solar are needed now to fight ever rising energy prices” said Cari Orris a Stow, OH resident who led the resolution effort in her community.

The pilot program encourages development on underutilized land, reserving 500 MW for distressed sites and commercial rooftops. Twenty-four states already have community energy programs, and Ohio’s legislation includes a review by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to assess effectiveness. 

Mike Lyons, who led the resolution effort in Springfield, OH said “all credit to the city commissioners and the city manager. Once they learned what community energy was all about they could see clearly that it was good for middle and lower income people. It was a real positive experience to get them to sign on.”

The resolutions now join similar calls from communities across Ohio urging the Senate to act on this bipartisan legislation. House Bill 303 awaits passage in the Ohio Senate. 

For more information about House Bill 303, check out the fact sheet linked HERE.

Take action What is community solar?

What is community solar?

Community solar makes it possible for everyone to go solar.

With community solar, you can purchase or lease a “share” in a community solar project or start a project with your neighbors. Every month, you receive a credit on your electricity bill for the energy produced by your share. Prefer to watch a video? Check out Episode 1, Community Solar Basics: Consumers.

Everyone should have access to community solar

We believe that everyone should be able to go solar, whether on their home or through a subscription to a community solar project. Solar is a way to reduce your energy bills, save money, and live your values.

Community solar began with a simple idea. People shouldn’t have to put a solar panel on their own roof to benefit from the electricity it generates. This idea is in the process of dramatically changing the way we get our electricity. In the digital age, it should be easy to take production somewhere on your local electric grid and attribute it to your utility bill account. Consumers no longer need to depend on analog wires and dials. Community solar, when done right, can provide solar access to everyone.

Institute for Self-Relinace provided a great example of how community solar saves everyone money. Minnesota’s community solar program has saved Xcel Energy customers millions of dollars. The program compensates solar energy based on its value, providing financial benefits to both participants and all utility customers. By reducing the credit value paid to subscribers compared to the energy value produced, community solar offers significant annual savings, making it a cost-effective and beneficial initiative for the state.

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States across the country have passed legislation to allow community solar. Others are fighting for the ability to develop their own community solar projects.