In Ohio, solar projects are doing more than generating electricity. They’re generating opportunity with predictable, long-term revenue that’s helping rural communities grow on their own terms. Through the state’s Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, or PILOT, utility-scale solar developments provide steady local funding for schools, townships, and public services.
For communities that host these projects, the impact is measurable and lasting. And for people like Ashley Labaki, Business Development Liaison for Local 1105, the benefits are easy to see. “There will be money going directly into things like infrastructure, schools, first responders, fire and EMS. These are services that have struggled for funding in the past.”
Under the PILOT program, solar developers pay counties a fixed amount per megawatt of solar capacity each year. Those dollars are distributed like traditional property taxes, but with a key advantage. For school districts, PILOT funds do not reduce state aid, which means every dollar is truly additive.
That gives schools the ability to plan ahead, invest in facilities, and support students without asking voters for more. Townships can use the money to maintain roads, improve emergency services, or take on long-overdue upgrades. The funding is consistent, flexible, and controlled locally.
“It’s not just going to be benefiting the people that own the projects,” Ashley said, “but also the people in the communities surrounding them.”
A Foundation for Local Strength
For working people and landowners alike, the effect ripples out. Construction jobs stay close to home. Businesses benefit from more local spending. And farmers have a new way to hold onto land that’s been in the family for generations.
“Farming isn’t easy,” said Erik Hann. “When you lease part of your land for solar, you can keep farming the rest. That income helps families stay on the land instead of having to sell it.”
Erik grew up just ten minutes from a proposed solar site. He spent his childhood on a dairy farm, learning the value of hard work and community. Today, he sees solar as one way to carry that legacy forward.
“When we build these projects, we’re literally powering our communities and our futures,” Erik said. “You get to work on something that brings jobs, brings revenue, and helps your neighbors. That’s what this is about.”
The PILOT structure makes those outcomes possible. It’s not a windfall. It’s not a temporary fix. It’s a fair, dependable agreement that ensures the benefits of solar development stay where the work is being done.
And in places where that work is happening—places like rural Ohio—communities are starting to see what’s possible when they have the resources to plan ahead, the pride of doing the work themselves, and the power to shape their own future.
“This isn’t just about energy,” Erik said. “It’s about community strength.”