April 11, 2014 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Last week, Ohio Senator Troy Balderson (R-Zainesville) introduced SB 310, which would indefinitely freeze Ohio's efficiency and renewables standards (EERS) at 2014 levels or 2.5 percent for renewable energy and 4.2 percent for energy efficiency -- although utilities with binding contracts can continue those efforts.

Ohio Statehouse. Credit: Alexander Smith/Wikimedia Commons

The legislation would eliminate the need for further energy efficiency programs; however, the Ohio Public Utility Commission has found that utilities easily met or surpassed their savings targets with cost-effective energy efficiency programs. Despite the fact that some utilities claim energy efficiency programs are too expensive to implement, American Electric Power (AEP) Ohio has filed a report demonstrating that an increase in savings from energy efficiency programs is reasonable and achievable.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) provides further evidence that energy efficiency programs can actually be cost effective. ACEEE research found that programs aimed at reducing energy waste cost utilities less than three cents per kilowatt hour. Generating the same amount of electricity from fossil fuels can cost two to three times that amount.

"Opponents of energy efficiency savings targets ignore the costs of building expensive new power plants, which are paid for through charges on utility bills," said ACEEE senior fellow Martin Kushler. "Because saving energy through efficiency improvements is much cheaper than building a new power plant, energy efficiency programs end up resulting in lower utility bills for customers."

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