Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton contends it will revive the local economy and save jobs in Lorain.Republican Sen. John McCain says it will transform the national economy and that Ohio has all the innovation and technology needed to ensure its success.

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama plans to invest $150 billion dollars in it and says that Lorain County will lead the way in its development.

Alternative energy. It’s on the tip of the tongues of the presidential hopefuls, it’s become a central focus for local officials and it’s poised to shape U.S. economic policy for decades.

“Alternative energy is the future of manufacturing in Lorain County,” County Commissioner Ted Kalo said. “It will turn Lorain County around.”

So what is it, and is Lorain County in the eye of the storm?

First, it’s important to understand what alternative energy isn’t. It’s not fossil fuels like petroleum, coal, propane and natural gas. It can come from many sources — wind, the sun, vegetable oils, even algae — and it can be created, modified and replenished right here in Northeast Ohio.

“Northeast Ohio has the market and specific advantages for sustaining alternative fuel production,” said Brandon Cavanaugh, an advocate for the environmental research and advocacy group Environment Ohio.

Advantages like what?

“Tremendous wind potential and a tremendous manufacturing base,” Cavanaugh said.

At its peak, Northeast Ohio was a coal-burning, smoke-belching behemoth. Cleveland sprawled west and brought factories, plants and mills to Lake Erie’s coast.

Over the years, much of this infrastructure eroded and left a gaping hole where commercial production once stood proudly.

But the flight of the manufacturers also left behind skilled laborers, a web of functional transport systems and a host of empty factories.

In other words, the perfect home for a new generation of manufacturers.

“This is real, this is happening,” said Steve Morey, president of Team Lorain County. “It’s moving from a conceptual, theoretical stage to actually targeting specific manufacturers.

“The window is now open,” he said.

And, so, it’s at a crossroads: Coal still fires Ohio’s engines and powers its economy, but its days may be numbered. With some deft manipulation, Lorain County can play a part in establishing a new industry, provide jobs for its residents and resuscitate its economy.

Oh, and maybe do its part to help the environment.

But, as with any major economic shift, the metamorphosis will not happen overnight. 

“The transition is always the tough part,” said Md Rumi Shammin, a professor of environmental studies at Oberlin College.

Breaking into the energy market is an uphill battle for alternative fuel manufacturers — and one they might not be able to do without assistance.
Ohio, like most of America, is bound tightly to fossil fuels. Nearly 90 percent of its power comes from coal — almost all of which is imported, according to Cavanaugh.

“We’re just pouring dollars out of state,” he said.

The country’s dependence on coal and petroleum has the potential of becoming economically disastrous. The price of both oil and coal is going up, according to Shammin, and, at the same time, the price for wind, solar and biofuel energy is dipping.

But setting up an alternative fuel production site requires a huge investment of initial capital — hundreds of millions of dollars. And anyone willing to put in this amount of money had better be sure there’s a market for the product.

Right now, there isn’t, but the experts agreed that alternative fuels will become the more economically feasible option in the long run, and legislation could help pry the market open.

“You need to create a market for alternative fuels for them to achieve competitiveness,” Cavanaugh said.

In the interest of the future, both economically and environmentally, the state needs to step in to create a market for alternative fuels, he said.

Following the lead of about 25 other states, Ohio is hoping to pass legislation that would, over time, require a quarter of all energy used in Ohio to come from renewable or advanced energy sources.

Two bills currently on the floor — Senate Bill 221 and House Bill 487 — require 25 percent alternative energy, half of which must be renewable, by 2025.

The difference between the bills is crucial. Senate Bill 221 has no benchmarks or penalties to enforce compliance.

“We need benchmarks,” Kalo said. “The legislation won’t benefit Lorain County until the bills get the proper benchmarks.”

Benchmarks are an incremental way of meeting the 25 percent required by 2025. In 2009, renewable energy sources would comprise 0.25 percent of Ohio’s burden, 3.5 percent by 2015, 8.5 percent by 2020 and, finally, 12.5 percent by 2025 according to the House Bill.

Cavanaugh said that he expects the language detailing benchmarks and enforcement penalties from House Bill 487 to be folded into Senate Bill 221, and for the improved Senate bill to pass in the coming weeks.

“These benchmarks ensure that renewable energy development begins now,” Cavanaugh said. “This is an incredibly crucial step in having Ohio begin developing alternative fuels.”

Of course, the precise path of progression is still undetermined. What type of energy will the county court?

Shammin believes that success lies in diversity.

“There’s no magic bullet. The share of energy for Northeast Ohio will have to come from a portfolio from different energy sources,” he said. “All of these have opportunities to be economically feasible with the right legislation and incentives.”

Contact Michael Baker at 329-7128 or mbaker@chroniclet.com.

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