Ohio is poised to be at the forefront of next-generation energy production. From its history of firsts in the field of energy to its supportive state government to its host of resources—intellectual as well as natural—Ohio is the nation’s competitive advantage as far as energy innovation. And Case Western Reserve University seeks to further that advantage as part of a collaboration of strategic partners throughout the state—an Institute for Energy Efficiency.
History
At the dawn of the 20th century, Northeast Ohio’s wealth of natural and transportation resources positioned the region as an industrial leader. Thanks to John D. Rockefeller, Cleveland was the center of the petroleum industry in the 1880s. At one point Standard Oil would control 90 percent of the nation’s refining capacity.
Some of Ohio’s Energy-related Firsts:
- First wind turbine to generate electricity (Brush Turbine, 1888)
- First freshwater offshore wind crib (Kirtland Pumping Station Water Intake Crib, 1904)
- First patent of a traffic light (Garrett Augustus Morgan, 1923)
- First major league night baseball game (Cincinnati, 1935)
- First research and development facility dedicated to the power industry (Babcock & Wilcox of Alliance, 1947)
- Largest scrubber installation contract in North America and the world (Ohio Power Company's Gavin Plant, 1992)
Supportive State Government
Executive Order 2007-02: Coordinating Ohio Energy Policy and State Energy Utilization
- Creates the Governor’s Energy Advisor
- Raises the profile of energy policy throughout state government
 Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, January 17, 2007:
“One of the core principles of my Turnaround Ohio plan is to invest in Ohio’s strengths. Clearly, energy production is one of those strengths. I am convinced that we can create thousands of good-paying jobs by encouraging next-generation energy production in Ohio including ethanol, clean coal, wind and solar.”
Intellectual Resources
- The breadth of intellectual resources at higher education institutions across the state
- The Third Frontier initiative Ohio Eminent Scholar in Fuel Cells at Case Western Reserve University
- The rare ability to combine several technology platforms (e.g., wind, solar, hydrogen, clean-burning coal, etc.)
- Vision to create an Institute of Energy Efficiency (IE2)
Natural Resources
- Abundant coal (The United States is called the Saudi Arabia of coal, and Ohio is perfectly located to move forward with this resource.)
- Large and accessible farmland (biomass or hybrid technologies)
- Wind (existing turbines in Bowling Green, Ohio; possibility of placing turbines in Lake Erie)
- Solar (existing work at the University of Toledo)
Other Resources
- Transportation infrastructure (rail, road, water, air)
- History of expertise and capacity in materials fabrication (from advanced materials for fuel cells to parts for wind turbines)
- Collaborative and proactive institutions engaged in advanced energy research (Wright Fuel Cell Group)
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