COLUMBUS Bill encourages utilities to use renewable energy

By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- Utility companies operating in Ohio would have to generate 3 percent of their electric supply through renewable sources of energy by 2006, under legislation unveiled Wednesday.
The Democratic bill, sponsored by state Sen. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown and state Rep. Michael Skindell of Cleveland, would increase that amount to a cap of 20 percent by 2020.
Encouraging the use of such energy sources as wind and solar power would decrease the state's reliance on coal and other "dirty" fuels, the sponsors said.
"We have dirty energy, we have dangerous energy," said Hagan, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Energy, Natural Resources and Environment Committee.
Ohio needs to "spread the mix of energy generation," said Skindell, the ranking Democrat on the House Energy & amp; Environment Committee.
Energy companies in the state generate less than 1 percent of their supply through renewable sources, the Democrats said.
State Sen. Bob Spada, chairman of the Senate Energy, Natural Resources and Environment Committee, said the Democrats have not spoken to him about their plan.
"All of these things are good if we can reasonably do them or they don't harm the fabric of the industry and they don't increase the costs substantially," said Spada, R-North Royalton.