Recently in clean energy Category

A late-night vote Thursday by the Ohio House demonstrates Ohio's bipartisan commitment to bringing clean energy, job creation and greater investment in local communities vying for renewable energy projects.

Sub Senate Bill 232 passed the House by a vote of 91-7 and the Senate concurred shortly after passage by a vote of 27-5 with a final reconciled bill headed to Gov. Ted Strickland's desk before summer recess, according to the grassroots coalition Wind and Solar Jobs for Ohio.

"With this vote, Ohio public officials have positioned the State to create and protect thousands of local Ohio manufacturing, construction, operations and maintenance jobs in the wind industry," said Brad Lystra, manager, economic development partnerships for the American Wind Energy Association.

The bipartisan effort and passage of Sub Senate Bill 232 was critical to bringing Ohio's tax structure for wind development sites in line with surrounding states as developers finalize decisions on which projects to prioritize to leverage expiring federal stimulus funding.

Lystra applauded the bipartisan spirit and the leadership of Sen. Chris Widener (R-Springfield) who championed Senate Bill 232, Gov. Ted Strickland, and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Rep. Tom Leston (D-Warren) for working together to advance Ohio's clean energy future.

"By eliminating this tax disadvantage, Ohio lawmakers have strengthened the renewable market and secured millions in new tax revenue for local communities," Lystra said. "Additionally, Ohio's struggling manufacturing industry will get a significant boost from wind turbine component part orders and position itself to see even greater investments from wind and solar manufacturers looking to expand into new markets and supply chains."

Wind and Solar Jobs for Ohio is a coalition of businesses and organizations that support the adoption of a competitive tax structure for wind and solar projects in Ohio. For more information on the coalition and the specifics of the seven proposed wind farms for Ohio, visit www.windandsolarjobsforohio.com.

E.ON has placed an order with Siemens Energy for the supply of 87 2.3-MW SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines for the Papalote Creek II wind power plant in San Patricio County, Texas. With a total installed rated capacity of more than 200 megawatts (MW), the Papalote Creek II wind farm is expected to provide clean power to approximately 60,000 households.

"With this new project, E.ON and Siemens continue their great partnership in the wind power business," said Jan Kjaersgaard, vice president and general manager of Siemens Energy's Wind Power Americas business. Siemens is already one of the top three wind turbine suppliers in the U.S. According to the American Wind Energy Association's year-end 2009 market report, Siemens installed more than 1,160 MW out of the more than 10,000 MW installed total in the U.S. in 2009.

"We are delighted to partner with Siemens in the next phase of our Papalote Creek II wind farm in south Texas," said Steve Trenholm, CEO, E.ON Climate & Renewables North America. "This project will create more than 300 temporary jobs and provide an investment of more than $300 million to the local tax base. E.ON is pleased to make this investment and help further the growth of the U.S. renewables market."  

E.ON and Siemens have partnered on several U.S. wind farm projects in the past. Siemens supplied 54 2.3-MW units for E.ON's Forest Creek wind farm near Big Spring, Texas, in 2006 and 55 2.3-MW wind turbines for the Champion wind farm in Nolan County, Texas, in 2007.

The Siemens scope of supply for the Papalote Creek II wind power plant includes delivery and transportation of the 87 SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines with a rated capacity of 2.3 MW each. With a diameter of 101 meters, the rotor of the new SWT-2.3-101 has a swept area of 8,000 square meters, which equals one-and-a-half football fields. Delivery is expected to begin in May 2010 and the wind farm is expected to be commissioned in the fall of 2010. Siemens also will provide service and maintenance for two years.

To better meet the increasing demand for clean energy in the Americas, Siemens is currently constructing its wind turbine assembly facility in Hutchinson, Kansas, which is scheduled to become operational in December 2010. The 300,000-square-foot wind turbine nacelle facility is expected to employ up to approximately 400 "green-collar" employees. Siemens also recently expanded its 600,000-square-foot blade manufacturing facilities in Fort Madison, Iowa, which it opened in 2007. The blades for the Papalote Creek II wind power plant will be manufactured in Fort Madison, Iowa.

Wind power is part of Siemens' Environmental Portfolio. In fiscal 2009, revenue from the Portfolio totaled approximately EUR23 billion, making Siemens the world's largest supplier of environmentally friendly technologies. In the same period, the company's products and solutions enabled customers to reduce their CO2 emissions by 210 million tons. This amount equals the combined annual CO2 emissions of New York, Tokyo, London and Berlin.

The Siemens Energy Sector is the world's leading supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas. In fiscal 2009 (ended September 30), the Energy Sector had revenues of approximately EUR25.8 billion and received new orders totaling approximately EUR30 billion and posted a profit of EUR3.3 billion. On September 30, 2009, the Energy Sector had a work force of approximately 85,100. Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/energy.

E.ON Climate & Renewables (EC&R) is responsible for the E.ON group's renewable energy and environmental protection activities around the world. Tapping renewable energy sources offers enormous alternatives, both from a business perspective and for the environment. E.ON Climate & Renewables will be investing EUR8 billion in renewable energy and environmental protection projects from 2007 - 2011 to expand the share of renewable energy in E.ON's portfolio for the long term. E.ON has thus taken a leading role in developing renewable energy sources worldwide. For more information, please visit www.eon.com/renewables.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by E.ON Group management and other information currently available to E.ON. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. E.ON AG does not intend, and does not assume any liability whatsoever, to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

SOURCE Siemens Energy, Inc.

A low-carbon future can be possible if policy makers and industry leaders shift their focus from green energy to clean energy, according a new whitepaper from Dr. Joseph A. Stanislaw, a senior advisor to Deloitte and founder of the advisory firm The JAStanislaw Group, LLC. Stanislaw is also co-founder and former president and CEO of Cambridge Energy Research Associates.

In his whitepaper, "Clean Over Green: Striking a New Energy Balance as We Build a Bridge to a Low-Carbon Future," Stanislaw explains that the "all-consuming global obsession with anything green has subsided" and stresses that energy decision makers should "move from breathless anticipation of a green dawn, to the more sober work of systematically and thoughtfully building toward a low-carbon future."

According to Stanislaw, this means pursuing energy options that are clean, not simply renewable and green. Implicit in this is the idea that oil, natural gas and coal have the potential to be clean. "The principle goal of policymakers should be to establish a level playing field that makes it easier to identify the cleanest fuels producible at the lowest cost, while also reducing energy use through efficiency and other technologies," said Stanislaw.

In the paper, Stanislaw stresses that now is a good time to shift from green to clean because we are "in the midst of creating a new development model that allows for industry leaders and policymakers to simultaneously promote economic growth and fight climate change."

Stanislaw further recommends a series of potential changes in how we think about energy, including the following:

• Policymakers could establish a predictable price for carbon emissions to unleash greater efforts at conservation, efficiency and demand reduction -- leading to a cleaner future. Stanislaw feels that an enlightened and fair policy framework is intrinsic to this effort.

• The current schism between the old and new energy industries -- wherein the green evangelists mock the traditional fuels and the oil and gas crowd reciprocate -- should end. This transformation also could be led by policymakers who admit there is no silver bullet in our common effort to build a low-carbon future. All energy forms, provided they can meet standards for being clean and cost-effective, should be able to compete for market share and funding.

• The marginalization of natural gas, which the United States has in increasing abundance, should be an area of focused attention. This relatively clean fuel is desperately sought after by nearly every country, yet somehow the U.S. considers it a lesser fuel. Natural gas could be treated equally with other fuels in the climate change bills currently being debated in Congress.

• The oil and gas industries could do their part by committing to developing carbon-neutral technology. The top goal could be to produce ever-cleaner oil, natural gas and coal. Within a generation, we could well be talking about clean oil, clean natural gas and clean coal.

Stanislaw concludes his whitepaper by explaining that "there will probably be more money spent in the energy sector in a broad sense in the next 50 years than has been invested in the past 100 years, if not in the history of mankind. Channeling these investments well, into an era of clean energy, is the challenge that policymakers, the private sector and the public all face together. The bridge to tomorrow's energy future depends on a sensible transition plan -- one that takes advantage of all of the clean fuel sources available to us."

To download the whitepaper, visit www.deloitte.com/us/newenergybalance.

About the Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions:

The Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions (Center) provides a forum for innovation, thought leadership, groundbreaking research and industry collaboration to solve the most complex energy challenges. Through the Center, Deloitte's Energy & Resources group leads the debate on critical topics on the minds of executives -- from legislative and regulatory policy to operational efficiency to sustainable and profitable growth. The Center provides complete solutions to Deloitte's clients through a global network of specialists and thought leaders. With locations in Houston and Washington, D.C., the Center offers interaction through seminars, roundtables and other forms of engagement, where established and growing companies can come together to learn, discuss and debate. For more information, see www.deloitte.com/energysolutions.

SOURCE Deloitte

Results released today from a detailed economic study show that China may cut carbon emissions deeply and minimise the adverse effects on its economy over the next 40 years. The report, Going Clean: the economics of China's low-carbon development, by the Chinese Economists 50 Forum and Stockholm Environment Institute, says that emission reductions up to 2050 can be made for example through:

    - Energy efficiency gains through improved building design, standards for
      electrical appliances and the use of less energy-intensive materials

    - A massive shift towards the use of renewable energy such as wind and
      solar energy, municipal solid waste and biomass, and small hydropower

    - Electric vehicles for road transport

    - Using Carbon Capture and Storage technology in new coal-fired power
      plants

    - A better international cooperation mechanism that can channel more
      finance and technologies from developed countries

The report by Chinese, Swedish, German, British and American experts says that these changes would also present opportunities for China to improve its energy security and move its economy higher up the international value chain.

"A low-carbon China is a country with a larger service sector, more advanced labour skills and less environmental degradation," said Dr FAN Gang, Director of the National Economic Research Institute in China, who led the research in China. "Such a transition would also be an essential part of China's development."

China is currently one of the 10 most carbon-intensive economies in the world, meaning that it has a high carbon footprint in relation to the level of economic activity. "Avoiding dangerous climate change requires the world to act together to cut global emissions. Developed countries are largely responsible for the past build up in global green house gas emissions but future responsibility is shared by developed and developing countries alike," said Lord Nicholas Stern, report author and Professor at the London School of Economics. "This important report demonstrates that China can take strong and decisive action to reduce its carbon emissions, whilst continuing its economic growth and delivering a prosperous and a harmonious society for its people."

"China will be one of the countries most adversely affected by dangerous climate change. Avoiding dangerous climate change is in the best interest of China," said Professor Ottmar Edenhofer, report author, deputy director and chief economist of the Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research. "The study demonstrates that China can combine a high economic growth path with ambitious emission reductions. This is the reason why China has the potential to become a role model for other economies in transition."

Going Clean recommends a phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies and for carbon to be priced more highly, either through a carbon tax or a global cap-and-trade system. "With today's low prices, the incentives for a low-carbon transition are not strong enough. But this can change," said Dr Fan Gang. The report shows that it is technologically feasible for China to reach a 2 degrees pathway and estimates that the savings from lower energy use and other efficiencies will partly offset the costs of transformation. "High-income countries account for a vast majority of global emissions to date and need to shoulder this responsibility through financial support to developing countries," said Professor Johan Rockstrom, Executive Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute. "To make this a reality, Going Clean proposes a new international finance mechanism - the Inter-country Joint Mitigation Plan - as a broader and more efficient way of financing technology transfers."

"Consumption and production patterns also need to be steered in a more resource- sustainable direction," said Klas Eklund, report author and Senior Economist at the Nordic bank SEB. "As the world's most populous country and the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, China's role is critical in combating global climate change. Thus, effective economic tools to curb emissions are necessary."

The shift to a low-carbon economy will hit coal-fired power and some heavy industries, but will also create new 'green jobs'. In the first half of 2009, China built more wind turbines than the US. Low-carbon transport is growing - there are currently over 50 million electric bikes and motorcycles in the country, and China is now leading the mass production of electric hybrid cars.

"Even in these difficult economic times, climate change action may present more opportunities than costs," said Professor Johan Rockstrom. "Such a transformation, for China and the rest of the world, will not be easy. But it is possible, necessary and worthwhile to pursue."

The Chinese 50 Economists Forum is a Beijing-based grouping of Chinese economists for collaborative research and public discussion of China's economy. The Stockholm Environment Institute is an independent, non-profit research organization bridging science and policy for sustainable development.

    - Going Clean - The Economics of China's Low-Carbon Development will be
      launched in Beijing on 8 December 2009, 12:00 at the Raffles Beijing
      Hotel.

    - The report can be downloaded from http://www.sei-international.org

SOURCE Stockholm Environment Institute and the Chinese Economists 50 Forum

Joint Venture Partners SunEdison Canada and SkyPower Corp., today announced the activation of Canada's first ground mount photovoltaic solar system. The 9.1-megawatt (MW) project named First Light, located in Stone Mills, Ontario covers 90 acres of land, about the size of 50 Canadian football fields.

SunEdison and SkyPower expect First Light to generate more than 10 million kilowatt hours (kWhs), enough electricity to power almost 1,000 homes in its first year of operation.

Additional information about First Light:

      -  The system will remove almost 8,000 metric tons of CO(2) from the
         air in its first year of operation, the equivalent of carbon
         emissions from almost 1,800 cars.
      -  Over 20 years, the system will displace nearly 152 thousand metric
         tons of CO(2), the equivalent of removing almost 33,000 cars from
         the road.
      -  To displace the same amount of CO(2) that the system will offset
         over 20 years, Ontario would have to plant more than 6.7 million
         trees.

"This is truly a very proud moment for SkyPower and its joint venture partner SunEdison, together the pioneering architects of Canada's first and, so far, only operational solar park," said Kerry Adler, Chief Executive Officer of SkyPower. "This is a significant milestone for the people of Canada and will help generate a brighter future for generations to come. It is also a testament to the great things that can be achieved when private enterprise, the Ontario government and the local community work together through innovative public policy."

According to SunEdison COO Carlos Domenech, "As the largest system deployed under Ontario's RESOP, First Light Solar Park is a first step in our plan to develop more rooftop and ground mount solar systems. Our joint venture in this project with SkyPower is a success and in full operation, delivering the benefits of solar to Ontario. The province's recently announced Feed-in-Tariff program will continue to stimulate solar development. With the support of the provincial government, municipal leaders and communities, Ontario is an exciting market for solar, and we look forward to building on the foundation we have established with First Light." Commenting on the additional steps taken to protect the Shrike habitat, Domenech added, "Our efforts provide a clear example of how companies can work with government and community organizations to protect endangered species while generating clean renewable energy and delivering greater environmental benefits."

During construction of First Light, SunEdison and SkyPower worked closely with Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources to successfully preserve habitat for the endangered Eastern Loggerhead Shrike on the property.

According to Elaine Williams, Executive Director of Wildlife Preservation Canada, "Both SunEdison and SkyPower have shown all along their willingness to help the endangered Loggerhead Shrikes. We appreciate all of their help and see this as a great example of how cooperation can lead to good outcomes," she said.

The grand opening ceremony is planned for October 14, 2009 in Stone Mills, Ontario.

About SunEdison

SunEdison is North America's largest solar energy services provider. The company finances, installs and operates distributed power plants using proven photovoltaic technologies, delivering fully managed, predictably priced solar energy services for its commercial, government and utility customers. In 2008, SunEdison delivered more kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy than any other solar services provider in North America. For more information about SunEdison, please visit www.sunedison.com

About SkyPower

SkyPower is the leading independent renewable energy developer in Canada, and possesses proven expertise in developing, building and managing both large-scale and micro-generation wind and solar power projects. SkyPower has developed a national footprint, with a substantial number of projects at various stages of development across Canada, select U.S. States, India and Panama representing thousands of megawatts (MW) of potential nameplate capacity. SkyPower continues to help many different jurisdictions meet their increasing demand for cleaner, non-emitting renewable energy solutions. For more information, visit www.skypower.com.

Source: SkyPower Corp.

Southern Company today announced that China will be the site for the first worldwide commercial implementation of the Transport Integrated Gasification (TRIG(TM)) technology for producing low-emission coal-based electricity.

TRIG is an advanced integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology that produces electricity with lower emissions than traditional coal power plants. It also is compatible with lower rank coals that are abundant in China.

The technology was developed by Southern Company, KBR Inc., and other partners, including the U.S. Department of Energy, at the DOE's research facility in Wilsonville, Ala., that is managed and operated by Southern Company.

Under the terms of their technology licensing arrangements with KBR Inc., the companies will provide Beijing Guoneng Yinghui Clean Energy Engineering Co., Ltd. with licensing, engineering services and proprietary equipment for the implementation of TRIG technology at a power plant operated by Dongguan Tianming Electric Power Co., Ltd. (Dongguan TMEP) in Guandong Province, Peoples Republic of China.

At the Dongguan TMEP facility, TRIG technology will be added to an existing gas turbine combined cycle plant so that it can use clean synthetic gas from coal as its fuel for generating electricity, rather than fuel oil.

"China's rapid growth vividly demonstrates the global need for advanced technologies to ensure reliable, affordable and cleaner supplies of energy," said Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO David Ratcliffe. "This plant will demonstrate that TRIG offers an effective technological solution to these challenges."

The 120-megawatt Dongguan TMEP plant, expected to begin operation in 2011, would demonstrate an example of advanced U.S. IGCC technology that is being developed in partnership between the DOE and industry. This IGCC technology is compatible with carbon capture, and its deployment in China is an important step toward positioning IGCC for future integration with carbon capture technology.

Ratcliffe also noted that Southern Company subsidiary Mississippi Power currently is seeking regulatory approval to build a 582-megawatt plant using TRIG technology in Kemper County, Miss. That plant would include 65 percent carbon capture and sequestration.

Source: Southern Company

The Renewable Energy Institute International (REII), a non-profit organization, announced the formation of an alliance of industry, academic and government organizations to build a pilot demonstration plant in Toledo, Ohio for the efficient and economical conversion of waste biomass to clean, diesel fuel. This new alliance includes organizations from around the United States including Red Lion Bio-Energy, Pacific Renewable Fuels, Grace Davison, PACCAR, SolarTurbines/Caterpillar, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Desert Research Institute, Quanta Services, Worley Parsons, University of Toledo, Midwest Terminals/Port of Toledo, and other leading partners.

"REII's ultimate goal is to ensure that these technologies are reliable, efficient, economical and environmentally friendly," said Dr. Dennis Schuetzle, President of REII. "The project team assembled for this effort includes the best and brightest in their fields."

The demonstration plant, located near the Port of Toledo, will integrate and upgrade existing, next generation conversion processes that have been designed and validated at test sites in Sacramento and Toledo during the past two years. This demonstration plant will produce 350,000 gallons of no sulfur, high-cetane, clean diesel fuel per year with a high biomass to fuel energy conversion efficiency of 44%. Based upon a comprehensive life cycle analysis using Argonne National Labs' computer models, this production of diesel from biomass will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 89%, compared to petroleum derived fuels.

"It is imperative that the United States develop ways to produce fuels that can be used directly in the existing fuel infrastructure and with high fuel efficiency engines," said Dr. Schuetzle. "Unlike ethanol or bio-diesel, this 'synthetic' renewable diesel can be used in the existing transportation infrastructure without modification and therefore can dramatically reduce United States need for imported oil." This renewable, clean diesel has the potential to displace 74% of the diesel fuel used in the United States, using the waste biomass that is available today. The fuel will be used in diesel vehicles at the Port of Toledo and in diesel vehicles at other U.S. locations, reducing vehicle pollutant emissions by up to 40%.

The Toledo demonstration plant and research and development facilities at McClellan Park in California will be used in the long term to continually improve plant efficiencies and lower production costs. The plans are to begin deploying commercial-scale plants during 2011-12, each of which will have the capability of producing 5 - 42 million gallons of clean diesel fuel per year, depending upon the plant capacity and local availability of waste biomass. One of the first plants is planned for an industrial site in Gridley, California, where rice harvest waste, wood waste and other local biomass residues will be converted to diesel fuel and renewable electricity.

Enough waste biomass is generated each year to support thousands of these plants, distributed throughout the U.S. The successful deployment of these plants would result in the creation of hundreds of thousands of new U.S. jobs in manufacturing, research and development, and support industries. REII is coordinating their efforts with the Apollo Alliance, Chaired by Phil Angeledis, which has the objective of building a major clean and renewable energy industry in the U.S.

"This project has the long term potential to bring key manufacturing jobs back to the United States," said Alex Johnson, a key alliance partner and President of Red Lion Bio-Energy and Midwest Terminals of Toledo International who operates the Port of Toledo. "Our vision is to build a robust manufacturing capability in the Toledo/Lake Erie region for plant components that will be deployed in the U.S. and worldwide."

Funding support for this effort to date has been provided by private industry, the U.S. Department of Energy, Department of Defense, and other organizations. The REII Alliance recently applied to DOE for additional financial support under the American Recovery Act, and the upgrade of the Toledo demonstration plant is ready to commence immediately.

SOURCE Renewable Energy Institute International

A new report released by The Pew Charitable Trusts ranks Ohio best in the Midwest and among the top five states in the nation for job growth in a clean energy economy. According to the Ohio Business Development Coalition, the nonprofit organization that markets the state for capital investment, the report is further evidence that Ohio is uniquely positioned to succeed in the advanced energy industry thanks to its existing strengths in manufacturing and engineering, along with its vast, skilled labor pool capable of an easy transition to fulfill the jobs of the future.

"This report further proves Ohio's dedication to technology innovation coupled with its access to a world-class supply chain and a talented, educated workforce is vital in building a strong foundation for the widespread application of advanced energy systems," said Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher. "There are many business incentive programs the state offers to companies that create new jobs, thereby creating a supportive and encouraging environment for new investment."

Based on significant research and input from experts in the field, including the advisory panel that helped guide the study, Pew developed the following definition: A clean energy economy generates jobs, businesses and investments while expanding clean energy production, increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste and pollution and conserving water and other natural resources.

The Pew study shows in 2007 Ohio ranked among the top five states with the most jobs in clean energy (3,653), energy efficiency (5,367) and environmentally friendly production (2,800). Overall, Ohio boasted a total of 35,267 clean jobs in 2007, which represents an overall job growth of 31 percent since 1998 and an average annual job growth of .85 percent each year. For more information about The Pew Charitable Trusts and the report, visit http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=53254

Ohio's leaders are leveraging the state's key assets such as Ohio's manufacturing infrastructure, skilled workforce and advantageous location to support a growing advanced energy industry. Ohio's historic strengths in advanced design, advanced materials and advanced manufacturing combined with the state's ability to seamlessly transform these existing skill sets into those needed to compete for the jobs of the future creates the perfect environment to make the state a global leader in this rapidly growing industry. Ohio-based companies are now producing an increasing array of solar panels, wind turbines and component parts, biomass products, fuel cells, hydroelectric components, geothermal parts and storage facilities that promote better utilization of advanced energy resources and competitiveness in a global marketplace.

"Ohio has surplus automotive skilled labor and manufacturing capability that is rapidly being converted to accelerated growth of the clean energy industry and is available for clean energy companies that want a rapid start," said Ed Burghard, executive director of the Ohio Business Development Coalition. "Ohio is successfully reinventing itself as the location of choice among leading suppliers to the technologies of the future, and our state serves as a model for struggling states and cities with economies that rely on traditional manufacturing processes."

One of the most significant initiatives supporting Ohio's advanced energy industry is the Ohio Third Frontier, an unprecedented and bipartisan commitment to expand Ohio's technological strengths and promote commercialization that leads to economic prosperity throughout Ohio. Since its inception, the program has retained or created 7,700 high-paying technology jobs and has attracted more than $3.5 billion in private investment to Ohio, a 9:1 return on investment. Ohio's Third Frontier has already invested more than $100 million in advanced energy technology research and development since 2002, and is projected to provide $24 million in additional grants related to advanced energy in the coming year.

"Business leaders in the advanced energy industry are realizing how, in Ohio, they're able to successfully build a business without sacrificing their personal life," Burghard said. "Business owners profit from the bottom-line benefits of better work:life balance for their employees. Ohio offers low-cost, low stress communities in a combination of micropolitan and metropolitan cities. This diversity provides executives and employees the resources and time to make any ambition achievable. Ohio truly is the state of perfect balance."

SOURCE Ohio Business Development Coalition