Senate Bill 61 takes an important step towards allowing Ohioans to make their own choices with regard to energy use. As the installation cost of residential solar systems is going down, the benefits continue to increase. For many homeowners, the decision to install solar panels is based on the savings they will accrue over the life of the system. As residents become more aware of how they use energy, they also choose to learn more about where that energy is being generated. Generating a portion of their own energy through a solar system fulfills both the desire to control household costs and a commitment to an environmental ethic that includes the use of renewable resources.
All homeowners should have the right to purchase a solar system. Unfortunately, many Homeowners Associations (HOAs) make this impossible by imposing unnecessary and unfair restrictions on residents who want to install solar, including limits on the size of the system or on how the array is designed and situated. These arbitrary rules can result in added costs, making the systems uneconomical.
Read the full Proponent Testimony presented by GEO on March 31, 2021.