A Southeast Ohio Public Energy Commission (SOPEC) official recently presented Athens City Council with proposed legislation “to help the city achieve its energy goals,” including a carbon tax to fund solar development, The Athens News reports. Eddie Smith, SOPEC’s operations coordinator, explained the major goals of the Energy Action Plan: a 20-percent reduction in residential energy consumption, a 20-percent increase “in the share of residential and municipal energy consumed from renewable sources,” and a 20-percent “increase in installed solar capacity,” according to the article. A 2-mill carbon tax, “which would be charged through SOPEC’s Opt-Out Electric Aggregation program,” would fund solar development for “projects on public buildings” in Athens, including school and government buildings. The tax would cost the average Athens home between $1.60 and $1.80 per month. For more, read the full article.
SOPEC proposal for carbon tax would fund solar development
