Historic investment in clean energy will bolster the availability of solar power, lead to lower emissions and cost to residents

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – Today, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced selected recipients of over $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) to implement community-driven solutions that tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate America’s clean energy transition. As a part of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, Cuyahoga County will receive $30 million, the City of Cleveland will receive $20 million, and the City of Painesville will receive $80 million in grant funding. 

Applications were submitted by entities in all states and Puerto Rico plus the District of Columbia, requesting a total of nearly $33 billion in funding. The EPA selected a total of 25 applications to fund a diverse range of projects in 30 states. These selections mark a major milestone for the $5 billion CPRG program, catalyzing ambitious climate pollution reduction measures to achieve significant GHG reductions by 2030 and beyond. When estimates provided by all selected applicants are combined, the proposed projects would reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050, roughly the emissions from 5 million average homes’ energy use each year for over 25 years.

“President Biden believes in the power of community-driven solutions to fight climate change, protect public health, and grow our economy. Thanks to his leadership, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will deliver unprecedented resources to states, local governments, and Tribes to fund the solutions that work best in their communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Selected recipients have put forward ambitious plans to advance sustainable agriculture, deploy clean industrial technologies, cut emissions and energy costs in homes and commercial buildings, and provide cost- and energy-efficient heating and cooling to communities, creating economic and workforce development opportunities along the way.”

The EPA CPRG funding will enable an unprecedented amount of brownfield and landfill solar to be developed in Northeast Ohio within a timeframe that will put the region on a pathway toward achieving its 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction goals. The City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and the City of Painesville are uniquely positioned to implement utility-scale solar projects as each local government operates its own municipal utility. 

Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland will collaborate to deploy 28 megawatts of renewable energy through five brownfield and landfill solar projects. Two of these projects will provide clean, behind-the-meter electricity to two critical City and County facilities, the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, and the future Cuyahoga County Central Services complex. Three of these projects will directly supply the customers of Cleveland Public Power (CPP) and Cuyahoga Green Energy. The City of Cleveland also plans to utilize funding to support a community park and public art project. 

"This $130 million Climate Pollution Reduction grant from the U.S. EPA will be transformative for Cuyahoga County and Northeast Ohio," said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. "With these resources, we will be able to expand our solar infrastructure, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Thank you to the Biden-Harris administration for delivering this investment in Cuyahoga County’s future. This award underscores our commitment to climate leadership and to policies and programs that pave the way for a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for all."

"This historic investment in Cleveland and our municipal electric utility, Cleveland Public Power, will reduce the cost of electricity for our residents, help power our airport operations, and benefit community members by transforming landfills and brownfields into "brightfields" that generate power from the sun," said Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb. "It is true climate justice to bring the financial and health benefits of a clean and green economy into the homes of communities like Cleveland that have seen decades of economic disinvestment."

Painesville Municipal Electric plans to replace its coal-fired power plant, which has been operational since 1888 and currently functions as a peaking plant, with a 35 MW solar installation and a 10 MW battery backup system. This change is driven by Ohio EPA mandates to reduce hazardous air pollutants and aims to lower peak electric loads and costs while reducing harmful emissions. The solar installation will be situated on a multi-acre brownfield site in the City of Painesville. The new solar array, supported by CPRG funding, will help Painesville Municipal Electric reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, stabilize operating costs, and decrease peak electric loads, potentially eliminating the need for the coal plant.

“The City of Painesville is pleased to receive the CPRG grant funding. The grant is instrumental to the sustainability of our public power system. Since 1888, the City of Painesville has been providing reliable power,” said Painesville City Manager Douglas L. Lewis. “Since we are limited to generating power at our coal-powered plant at peak times, the funding will enable us to transfer to an environmentally friendly, efficient, and cost-effective source of power for our residents. An additional benefit is that the grant will repurpose a large brownfield site near the lake, turning it into solar fields with areas for biking trails and wildlife. Not only will this transition help the immediate environment, but it will benefit the larger community for generations to come.”

West Creek Conservancy’s cross-jurisdictional role will be critical to coordinating efforts with respect to real estate, conservation, natural resource restoration, public access improvements, and general site development, including an adaptive reuse of over 1000 acres and nearly two miles of coastal access. 

“This grant, which epitomizes collaborative partnerships, forwards West Creek’s vision to adaptively reuse a former industrial site, while restoring ecological value, creating unprecedented lake front access, and supporting the transition to a clean energy economy,” said Derek Schafer, Executive Director of the West Creek Conservancy.

Local workforce development organization, Manufacturing Works, will receive $2 million in funding to develop a renewable energy-related pre-apprenticeship program. Working with Coalition members, Manufacturing Works will offer multiple on-ramps for industry certifications, academic credits, and micro-credentials for high school and college students, underemployed, and existing employees in construction, renewable energy, and manufacturing and will conduct grassroots outreach to increase awareness about available jobs and training for critical occupations affiliated with this project.

Coalition members would like to thank Senator Sherrod Brown, Representative David Joyce, and Representative Shontel Brown for their support of this proposal. 

Coalition members would also like to acknowledge local nonprofit organizations Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO) and Citizens Utility Board of Ohio (CUB) for their role in helping to conceive of the project and support the application process. PCFO experts work with local governments to help develop and implement their sustainability plans and achieve carbon reduction goals. CUB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization that helps residential and small business utility customers benefit from the clean energy transition.

Additionally, the coalition members thank the George Gund Foundation and the Cleveland Foundation, who played a crucial role in the success of these efforts by facilitating collaboration and bringing all parties together.

Learn more about our application 

Learn more about the CPRG program

See Photo Gallery from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Announcement