A Message from the Director
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As I write this, we are one week from the 16
th
Annual Green Energy Ohio Tour! Visitors will have a choice of over 100 sites during the three-day period, including many sites new to the Tour. Individual homeowners, businesses, and public entities throughout the state are opening their doors to share their commitment to clean energy. A lot has changed since the Tour began sixteen years ago, but Tour visitors find new information and inspiration every year. Be sure to check the
2018 Green Energy Tour page
to download your Regional Passport with dates, times, and locations - Passports will be posted on Monday. Take pictures of your favorite sites while you’re on the Tour and submit them for a chance to win prizes. Join your friends and neighbors afterward at a local craft brewery to celebrate the Tour and recognize craft brewers' commitment to sustainability. And be sure to pick up a GEO membership flyer at the host sites or go online to join:
GEO Membership
. Our members and activists are the people who make programs like the Annual Green Energy Tour possible – there are lots of opportunities for dedicated volunteers to make a difference.
No conversation about the Tour is complete without a special thank you to our generous sponsors: Sustaining sponsor
The Akron Zoo
, Supporting Sponsor
Jane Harf
Executive Director
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We have flagged several Tour sites as unique opportunities. In the
Cincinnati
area, a tour of the
Melink Corporation
headquarters building is always a great experience, but especially so when the Tour is led by CEO Steve Melink. In Northeast Ohio the
Kent Green Energy Ohio Tour includes a Clean Transportation Cruise-In, featuring the latest in energy efficient vehicles and public transportation. Spend Friday afternoon on the campus of The Ohio State University in
Columbus
, visiting the sustainably-designed Ohio Union and learning about OSU’s entry in the
EcoCAR 3 contest – an Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition sponsored by the US Department of Energy and General Motors. And stop by the YES Club – a nonprofit after-school and summer program in downtown
Newark
– to see the 42 solar panels that save the charity over $1,900 a year and provide educational programs about clean energy, conservation, and the environment. D
ates and times for these and other special sites that include presentations and guided tours can be found in your Regional Passport.
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There are lots of ways to enjoy the Tour. You can use the Regional Passport and plan a route for your day. You can carpool with friends, ride your bike between sites and, in the Cleveland area, you have the option of taking a bus tour. Participants on the bus tour will meet at a central location and travel to a number of scheduled stops. Bus Tour participants will have a guide to share information along the route, before disembarking at the sites. More information can be found on the
guided bus tour page
.
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Enter to Win the Tour Photo Contest!
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You can win prizes by submitting great photos from the tour! Just post your photos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #GEOtour; or email
tour@greenenergyohio.org
with subject line GEO Tour Pics. Photos will be featured on the GEO website, Facebook page, and in the Monthly Connections Newsletter. The Tour Planning Committee will select their favorites and the winners will receive prizes!
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Not only does the Green Energy Ohio Tour come at the end of
National Clean Energy Week
, it also coincides with a number of important clean energy events in Ohio:
- On September 13, a 4MW solar array opened on 17 acres of the closed Brooklyn landfill. Developed and built by GEO members IGS Energy, RBI Solar and TMI Energy Solutions, the facility will provide 5% of the electricity needs for 16 Cuyahoga County commercial buildings.
- Earlier this week AEP Ohio announced a commitment to develop at least 900 MW of new renewable energy, recognizing the interests of their customers and the long-term viability of the clean energy market.
- Next week, the Ohio Power Siting Board will begin its hearing on the permit application for Icebreaker Wind , a 20.7 MW demonstration wind farm that will consist of six 3.45 MW turbines located 8 miles north of Cleveland in Lake Erie. Icebreaker Wind will be the first freshwater offshore wind farm in North America.
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P.O. Box 521
Granville, Ohio 43023
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