Legislation recently introduced in Ohio provides guidance to the state’s Power Siting Board on the intent of the General Assembly that the energy powering the Buckeye State should be “affordable, reliable and clean” and the energy produced and the manner in which it is produced shall rely on domestically sourced materials and “minimize reliance” on “foreign adversary nations for critical materials or manufacturing.”
According to the bill, an “affordable” energy source is one that has “a stable and predictable cost” and provides a “cost-effective means of heating, cooling, and generating electricity.” Further, “affordable” sources must deliver “substantial savings relayed to residential and commercial customers comparable to energy sources listed in 42 U.S.C. 15852(b), based on the average cost per unit of energy output calculated to include any direct or indirect payment by any level of government for the previous five years.” Those energy sources in the U.S. code being solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, geothermal, municipal solid waste, or hydroelectric.
To be considered a “reliable” energy source, the bill demands the resource be “readily available at all times to meet energy demands with minimal interruptions during high-usage periods” and that, when used for power generation, the resource must have a “minimum capacity factor of fifty per cent,” that it’s electricity output is “dispatchable at all times and with the capability to ramp up or down electricity generation within one hour to stabilize the electrical grid,” and have the ability to “complement and provide backup to renewable energy resources during periods of low availability.”
“Dispatchable” power sources are those that can adjust to the electric grid on demand, such as a natural gas turbine, a coal plant, a hydroelectric dam, or a nuclear plant. Non-dispatchable power sources, such as solar and wind, cannot be turned on or off to meet demand and are highly intermittent. They are not continuously available 24 hours a day because of factors that cannot be controlled—such as cloud cover, daylight, wind speed, air density, and other variables—and are therefore unreliable.
“Capacity factor” is the measure of how often a power plant runs for a specific period, expressed as a percentage and calculated by dividing the actual unit of electricity output by the maximum possible output. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, solar had a capacity factor of just 23.4 percent in 2024, while wind’s capacity factor was just 34.3 percent. Comparatively, the capacity factor for nuclear power was 90.8 percent in 2024, while natural gas had a capacity factor of 59.7 percent, and coal 42.6 percent. So, a megawatt-to-megawatt swap from a dispatchable power source to these non-dispatchable sources results in a decrease in overall capacity. As more dispatchable sources of the grid are swapped for non-dispatchable sources, the grid becomes less reliable.
The bill considers a “clean” source to be any energy generated by natural or gas or nuclear or “any energy generated by utilizing those sources listed in 42 U.S.C. 15852(b) or hydrocarbons, which, when combusted for the purpose of electricity generation, meet the national ambient air quality standards set by the United States environmental protection agency under the authority of the Clean Air Act,” 42 U.S.C. 7401.
Finally, the bill defines a “domestic” fuel source as one “primarily produced within the United States,” and that “infrastructure security” means “infrastructure necessary to deliver energy to customers that minimizes reliance on foreign nations for critical materials or manufacturing.” “Foreign adversary nations” means the countries specified by name in 10 U.S.C. 4872(f)(2), which at this time are China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
Ohio policymakers should encourage a diversified mix of dispatchable, baseload energy sources that prioritize affordability, reliability, and environmental stewardship, as provided in this legislation. Ohio’s energy security depends on reliability. Dispatchable sources like natural gas and nuclear ensure the grid remains stable during peak demand, severe weather, or renewable intermittency.
A balanced energy framework guarantees dependable power for homes, hospitals, and manufacturers. Energy independence for Ohio also means economic resilience. Prioritizing American-produced fuel, particularly natural gas, which is in abundant supply in the Buckeye State, reduces exposure to hostile or unstable foreign suppliers, secures jobs, and keeps energy dollars in Ohio.
This certainty and reliability also attract capital. Reaffirming natural gas as “clean” energy reduces regulatory risk and invites long-term investment in power generation, manufacturing, and large data centers that require stable, affordable energy.
Affordable power also requires full transparency. By defining “affordable” using true cost accounting (i.e. excluding subsidies), Ohio can drive genuine competition, protect consumers, and reveal the hidden costs of intermittent or heavily subsidized sources.
Smart policy can serve both Ohioans and the planet. Natural gas and nuclear energy are clean, dispatchable, and proven. The “affordable, reliable, and clean” policy set forward in this legislation aligns environmental stewardship with economic strength, ensuring Ohio leads the nation in sustainable growth and reliability.
The following documents provide more information about affordable, reliable, and clean power.
Affordable, Reliable, and Clean: An Objective Scorecard to Assess Competing Energy Sources
https://heartland.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Apr-25-ARC-Scorecard.pdf
This Heartland Institute scorecard analyzes and assigns an objective numerical score for competing energy sources regarding their affordability, their reliability, and their effect of the environment.
Better Energy Policy for Ohio
https://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/library/docLib/2025-01-22-Better-Energy-Policy-for-Ohio-policy-report.pdf
This report from the Buckeye Institute and Americans for Prosperity-Ohio outlines the challenges facing Ohio as the need and demand for energy grows and offers basic principles lawmakers should use as a guide to develop better energy policies for the Buckeye State.
Clearing the Air: Honest Truths about Green Energy
https://www.theamericanconsumer.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Clearing-the-Air.pdf
This report from the American Consumer Institute details many of the environmental impacts associated with so-called green energy sources. The life cycles of all three—wind turbines, solar panels, and EV batteries—involve significant environmental consequences that should not be overlooked and need to be part of the discussion when implementing energy policies.
Policy Brief: How the Green New Deal’s Renewable Energy Mining Would Harm Humans and the Environment
https://heartland.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/PBdriessenmining2Apr20.pdf
In this Heartland Institute Policy Brief, Paul Driessen, senior policy advisor with the Committee For a Constructive Tomorrow, argues expanding mining on the scale needed to meet the renewable energy requirements contained in the Green New Deal and other proposed renewable energy mandates would cause unimaginable harm to the environment, wildlife, and humans.
The 100 Percent Renewable Energy Myth
https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Renewable-Myth-Policy-Brief219.pdf
This Policy Brief from the Institute for Energy Research argues that a countrywide 100 percent renewable plan would put the U.S. economy in jeopardy. The brief investigates intermittent power generation, land requirements, capacity factors, and the cost of transition and construction materials that limit the ability of the United States to adopt 100 percent renewable energy.
Nothing in this Research & Commentary is intended to influence the passage of legislation, and it does not necessarily represent the views of The Heartland Institute. For further information on this subject, visit Environment & Climate News, The Heartland Institute’s website, and PolicyBot, Heartland’s free online research database.
The Heartland Institute can send an expert to your state to testify or brief your caucus; host an event in your state; or send you further information on a topic. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance! If you have any questions or comments, contact Heartland’s Government Relations department, at [email protected] or 312/377-4000.
Tim Benson joined The Heartland Institute in September 2015 as a policy analyst in the Government Relations Department.
