The Buckeye Ranch has been serving Ohio’s most vulnerable children and families for decades by providing behavioral health, education, and child welfare services to young people who need it most. Now, thanks to the Impact Solar Initiative, a collaboration between Clean Energy Ventures and Community Renewable Energy, The Buckeye Ranch has added something new to its campus: a 694-kilowatt solar array that will generate clean energy and long-term cost savings for the next 35 years.
“Lowering our energy costs allows us to reinvest those savings into programs and services that meet the mental and behavioral health needs of children, youth, and families in our community.”
— Vickie Thompson-Sandy, President & CEO, The Buckeye Ranch
The system at The Buckeye Ranch’s Michael & Paige Crane Center for Children and Families is projected to produce 875,800 kilowatt hours of clean electricity in its first year alone. Through a Power Purchase Agreement developed, financed, and managed by Clean Energy Ventures and Community Renewable Energy, Buckeye Ranch locks in a predictable, low electricity rate, insulating the organization from the rising utility costs that squeeze nonprofits across Ohio.
Financing partners Heartland Bank and the Columbus Region Green Fund made the project possible, with Clean Energy Ventures leveraging available federal tax credits to further reduce the cost of power for the host.
Energy costs are one of the largest operational expenses facing nonprofits. Every dollar that goes to the utility company is a dollar that doesn’t go to a therapist, a classroom, or a family in crisis. Over the next 35 years, the Buckeye Ranch solar system is projected to save the organization more than $3 million in energy costs.
The environmental benefits are significant too. Over the lifetime of the system, the installation will offset approximately 29,785 US tons of carbon dioxide — equivalent to taking 6,300 gas-powered cars off the road, or the carbon sequestration of 27,090 acres of US forests. Based on EPA calculations, the generation of renewable energy at the site is also projected to deliver an estimated $3.46 million in avoided health-related costs, including fewer hospital visits, reduced respiratory illness, and lower premature mortality rates in the surrounding community.
The Buckeye Ranch installation is the latest milestone for the Impact Solar Initiative, which is deploying 40+ megawatts of solar across Central Ohio for nonprofits, government agencies, and low-to-moderate income residents. The initiative is projected to generate $129 million in energy savings for participating organizations, reduce 7 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions over 20 years, and support 600 local jobs in installation, operations, and maintenance.
Earlier this spring, the Initiative celebrated the completion of a solar installation at Bridgeway Academy and Therapy Center on Columbus’s Southside — the program’s largest and most visible array yet to hundreds of drivers on I-70 each day.
What’s Next
We’re looking forward to celebrating this milestone with the full Buckeye Ranch community later this summer. In the meantime, follow along on social media for a closer look at the installation and stay tuned for event details.
About the Impact Solar Initiative
The Impact Solar initiative is an innovative program from Clean Energy Ventures and Community Renewable Energy to deploy low-cost solar energy for mission driven organizations. The Initiative is set to deploy 40 megawatts of solar and deliver energy savings for nonprofits, government agencies, and low to moderate income residents across Ohio. For more information, visit www.impactsolar.org.
