Introduced by Ohio Representatives Jim Hoops, R-Napoleon, and Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth, HB197 would create a pilot program to encourage the development of community solar projects in Ohio for both residential and commercial use.
Community solar is a simple yet transformative concept: it allows residents, businesses and organizations to share the benefits of a solar energy system without having to bear 100% of the associated costs as individuals. Instead, solar modules are installed on rooftops, in parking lots, on capped landfills, or at shared facilities within a community. Participants, including individuals, schools, hospitals, religious institutions, and businesses, subscribe to a portion of the solar energy produced by the panels, offsetting their electric bills and contributing to in-demand, renewable energy generation.