Ohio is facing one of the fastest electricity demand surges in the Midwest — driven by data centers, manufacturing growth, electrification, and aging baseload generation. In this episode, Russ Bates sits down with Mryia Williams of Solar United Neighbors of Ohio to break down what this demand spike means for communities, what “community energy” actually is, and why local generation could play a critical role as Ohio heads toward projected shortfalls as early as 2027.

We unpack how renters, farmers, small businesses, schools, churches, and local governments can participate in smaller, faster-to-build energy projects that strengthen the grid, lower bills, and diversify local income. We also cover Ohio’s new House Bill 303, bipartisan support for community-scale projects, and the challenges posed by permitting, interconnection, and utility resistance to net metering.

With traditional power plants aging out, new generation taking years to build, and data center load increasing rapidly, Ohio is at a crossroads. Community energy—small, local, distribution-level solar and wind—may be one of the only near-term tools available to keep up with demand.

This is a must-watch episode for anyone in Ohio or the Midwest concerned about rising electricity costs, grid reliability, and the policies that will shape the state’s energy future.