Where we are and where we are going.....Stay connected
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A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
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The Change of Season
Welcome to autumn – a season of change – when the leaves change color, the time changes, and we change our wardrobe as the weather changes. Sometimes change is challenging, but it is also a sign of progress. GEO is making some changes too. We're always trying to improve the ways in which we communicate with you, and we listen to what you tell us you want from GEO.
You will see that we’re changing the Connections newsletter schedule to quarterly and in between newsletters we’ll be sending you more issue-specific notices, like the one last week about our new Board members. We want to make sure that you are up to date on clean energy happenings around the state through our emails, and we want to keep the newsletter enjoyable and reader friendly.
We’ll be maintaining some of our favorite newsletter features – like the Member Spotlight – and we’ll be reminding you about upcoming events. We’re also soliciting articles on topics of interest from our activists – see the article below about Laketran electric buses by longtime GEO member and EV Tour organizer Tom Rapini.
Because the government doesn't operate on a regular schedule and our members and supporters need to know what's happing in the policy arena in a timely way, we're going to send policy updates to you as they happen. Please watch for information on pending legislation, cases before the Ohio Power Siting Board, and local sustainability initiatives.
It's time to pour yourself some warm Ohio apple cider, sit back, and catch up with GEO!
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Jane Harf, Executive Director
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THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
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Laketran and the Future of Electric Public Transportation
By Tom Rapini
In early June, Green Energy Ohio’s Statewide Electric Vehicle Tour made a stop at Laketran’s Frank J. Polivka Transit Center on the Lakeland Community College Campus in Kirtland. The attraction? A new 35 foot ALL ELECTRIC bus!
Unfortunately, in this era of supply chain disruptions, the bus was still in Alabama, waiting for a few crucial cables. The event went on, regardless, with the numerous EV’s on display and even some dealership EV’s available for test drives. GEO leaders, EV advocates, public transportation leaders, and local politicians gave talks espousing the future of electric transportation.
Those of us eager to see the electric bus did not have to wait long. On July 29, Laketran hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to formally introduce the transit center, recognize its namesake Frank Polivka, and let everyone see their first electric bus.
The 35-foot New Flyer Xcelsior Charge was parked beneath a large pantograph which eventually was lowered to demonstrate its on-route charging capabilities. This allows the bus to run continuously, with virtually unlimited range. In just six minutes of rapid charging the bus can proceed for about 90 minutes on its typical route.
Keep reading here for more details on this important accomplishment!
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Electrada: Charging Toward an Electric Future
By Courtney VanHuffel
There were many amazing things that came out of GEO’s 2021 Electric Vehicle Tour. With over 500 attendees at 25 events in 14 Ohio cities, we are incredibly proud of the effort from our EV Tour Working Group. One of the best outcomes of the Tour was welcoming new business and nonprofit members into our community. Our Member Spotlight article in this newsletter features one of these impressive organizations: Electrada.
Irina Filippova is the Chief Operating Officer of Electrada. She started with the company back when it was still an idea. In many ways, Irina’s feelings toward Electrada are maternal, and she is proud to see the company grow up to become a successful force for good in the world.
Electrada works toward providing integrated turnkey solutions for electrifying cars and fleets. In order for EV adoption to take place, Irina explains that strong infrastructure needs to be formed to achieve the following criteria: accessibility, affordability, and reliability. “We are here to help people and organizations electrify in a way where they don't have to worry about all the different strands of electrification, from site and equipment selection to deployment and energy management. We streamline the entire fleet electrification process.... in an industry whose time has come.”
Read more about the Electrada story here.
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AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
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Ohio's Largest Industry Addresses the Climate Crisis
Thursday, November 18 at Noon
In a state that prides itself on having diverse economic sectors, it’s often said that agriculture is Ohio’s single largest industry. With a variety of agricultural operations in every region, Ohio farmers are facing serious challenges related to extreme weather events, shifting growing seasons, and other climate-related impacts. At the same time, environmental scientists are examining agriculture’s contribution to the changing climate.
To discuss all sides of these important issues, GEO is pleased to present Aaron Wilson, Research Scientist at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center at The Ohio State University, and Jordan Hoewischer, Director of Water Quality and Research at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, in a virtual conversation on Climate Change and Agriculture.
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GEO Virtual Climate Change Book Club
"Bright Green Future" with author Trevor Decker Cohen
Wednesday, November 17 at 7:00 pm.
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“In tales of injustice, it’s often said that for every villain defeated, there are 100 others waiting to take their place. In this book, for every person trying to build a better world, there are 1,000 more already doing the same."
Bright Green Future: How Everyday Heroes are Reimagining the Way We Feed, Power, and Build Our World
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Green Energy Ohio is very pleased to host the fourth in our virtual Book Club series and to welcome Trevor Decker Cohen, co-author of Bright Green Future: How Everyday Heroes Are Reimagining the Way We Feed, Power, and Build Our World, to lead the discussion. Thank you to our Book Club partner, the Citizens' Climate Lobby, for connecting us with Mr. Cohen.
In Bright Green Future we have the opportunity to consider the positive and empowering stories of individuals making real change across the US and the world. Conveying a sense of hope and solidarity, Bright Green Future gives voice to everyday heroes, inspiring readers to do the same.
Mr. Cohen has generously offered a 15% discount to Book Club attendees when ordered through the book's website. The discount code is available on the GEO Climate Change Book Club Facebook page. Here's your chance to join the Club if you aren't already a member! It can also be purchased as an e-book on Amazon for $2.99.
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CLEAN ENERGY = CLEAN JOBS
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The pandemic year of 2020 was hard on all industries and the companies that support them. Clean energy was no different, but the good news is that there is evidence of a rebound in green jobs across the nation and in Ohio. Significant job losses in the first half of 2020 began to turn around in the second half of the year.
According to the Clean Jobs for America 2021 report, Ohio is 8th in overall clean energy employment, with three metropolitan areas reporting over 15,000 clean energy jobs and another three with between 6,000 and 12,000 jobs. Whereas we might expect cities to be hubs for these jobs, Ohio also ranks 5th in the country in the number of clean energy jobs in rural areas, thanks in part to large-scale wind and solar development.
Energy efficiency is the subsector with by far the most employment opportunity, followed by advanced transportation and renewable energy. Nearly three-fourths of employment opportunities are located in the construction and manufacturing sectors, with 62 percent of the jobs found in small businesses that employ fewer than 20 people. For more detailed information, please see the Clean Jobs Midwest Ohio report and the full Clean Jobs America 2021 report.
Here is a snapshot of Ohio jobs by clean energy sector (top) and the value chain of jobs in multiple industries and economic sectors (bottom):
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