Ohio Small Businesses Support Energy Efficiency Measures

Publisher: 
Small Business Majority
Date: 
Monday, November 25, 2013

In the wake of the Great Recession, small business nationwide and in Ohio are doing all they can to strengthen and grow their businesses. Small business owners are constantly looking for innovative ways to help their businesses run more efficiently. As part of these efforts, recent scientific opinion polling conducted by Small Business Majority shows that Ohio’s entrepreneurs want utilities to offer renewable energy sources that will help them improve their energy intensity and reduce utility costs, and believe the use of renewable energy can have economic benefits for their businesses.

Small business owners in Ohio believe the state’s current energy efficiency and renewable energy standard is good for businesses because it spurs innovation and creates market opportunities, and that Ohio’s utility providers and regulatory agencies can and should help small businesses implement energy efficiency measures, promote renewable technologies and generally support a competitive clean energy-based economy. As the drivers of the economy, small business owners want pragmatic, inventive policies that help them utilize clean energy measures so they can streamline their operations.

Key Findings

Small business owners support Ohio’s state energy efficiency and renewable energy standard, which requires electric companies by 2025 to reduce state electricity consumption by 22% and have 12.5% of all energy come from renewable sources such as wind and solar power: The majority of small businesses support Ohio’s energy efficiency and renewable energy standard for electric companies. Owners agree this standard helps their businesses by reducing energy costs, spurring innovation and creating market opportunities.

Small businesses agree Ohio’s state energy efficiency and renewable energy standard spurs innovation and creates market opportunities

Ohio’s state energy efficiency and renewable energy standard requires electric companies by 2025 to reduce state electricity consumption by 22% and have 12.5% of all energy come from renewable sources, such as wind and solar power. Supporters say this standard helps businesses by reducing energy costs, spurring innovation and creating market opportunities. Opponents say the standards are costly, unnecessary and are delaying the state’s economic recovery.

Small businesses believe electricity providers should be required to offer services to help small businesses become more energy-efficient and save money: The majority of small businesses agree that electricity providers should offer services, such as energy audits and rebates for installing energy-efficient products, to help small businesses reduce costs and become more energy-efficient.

Owners believe electricity providers should be required to offer services to help small businesses become more energy-efficient and save money

Do you think electricity providers should be required to offer services to help small businesses become more energy-efficient and save money, with things like energy audits and rebates for installing energy-efficient products, or not?

Small businesses believe the use of renewable energy sources can have economic benefits for small businesses: A vast 65% of small businesses believe renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, can have positive economic impacts for small businesses, such as lowering utility bills and providing new business opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Small firms agree the expanded use of renewable energy sources can have economic benefits for small business owners

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, can have economic benefits for small business owners, such as lowering utility bills and providing new business opportunities for entrepreneurs?

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