Ohio House passes program piloting community energy. What is it?

In its annual flurry of end-of-year legislating last week, the Ohio House sent the Senate a bill on community energy facilities Wednesday.

House Bill 303 establishes the Community Energy Pilot Program, allowing for as many as 1,500 megawatts of small-scale facilities statewide, which could range from renewable facilities, like wind and solar, to fossil fuel combustion, like of natural gas.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio would regulate the community energy facilities, but only the legislature could bring the program beyond the prescribed 1,500 megawatts.

HB 303 is backed by more than a dozen solar and conservation advocates. Edison Electric Institute and American Electric Power have testified against it.

Under community energy facilities, local residents and businesses buy int