Eric Romich is an Ohio State University Extension Field Specialist for Energy Development. His background in renewable energy began during his former assignment as an OSU Extension Educator in Wyandot County. In this position he served as the Director of Wyandot County Office of Economic Development and was deeply involved in the details of finalizing the PSEG Wyandot Solar Project. The PSEG Wyandot Solar Project is a 12 MW 85 acre solar generation facility that is the largest solar facility in Ohio and one of the largest in the Midwest.
Romich focuses his Extension efforts in the areas of renewable energy development, energy policy, wind energy, solar energy, and bioenergy resources. He works with elected officials, community planners, community residents, OSU faculty and Extension Educators, and state and federal government agencies to deliver educational programs. In December 2016, Eric was named the recipient of the Raymond A. Schindler Excellence in Community Development Extension Award.
Areas of Expertise:
- Distributed (Behind-the-Meter) Solar Development
- Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development
- Solar Leasing
- Peak Demand Energy Management in Agriculture
- Renewable Energy Policy
Programs:
- Energize Ohio - An OSU Extension Signature Program
articles
Zoller, C., and Romich, E. (2020). Not Glamorous, but Needed: Teaching Energy Basics to Improve Farm Profitability. Journal of Extension, Volume 58, Number 4, Commentary v58-4comm2.
Romich, E. (2017). Capitalizing on Multidimensionality in Survey Instruments to Ensure Delivery of Relevant Extension Programming. Journal of Extension, Volume 55, Number 1, Research In Brief #1RIB1.
Romich, E., Bowen-Ellzey, N., Moss, M., Bond, C., Civittolo, D. (2015). Building Sustainability in Gas- and Oil-Producing Communities. Journal of Extension, Volume 53, Number 3, Article #3IAW1.
Romich, E. (2015). The Role of Extension in Energy Education. Journal of Extension, Volume 53, Number 2, Article #2COM1.
Bowen-Ellzey, N., Romich, E. (2013). Growing Community Capacity in Energy Development Through Extension Education. Journal of Extension, Volume 51, Number 3, Article #3IAW6.
Bowen-Ellzey, N., Davis, G.A., Romich, E., Lloyd, M. (2013). Extension-Led Economic Development Model - A Recipe for Success. Journal of Extension, Volume 51, Number 2, Article #2FEA5.
Curriculum Vitae
Curriculum Vitae - Eric Romich
Solar eleCtric Investment aNAlysis bulletin series
Part 1: Estimating System Production – Site-specific factors can influence the amount of electricity produced by a PV installation.
Part 2: Assessing System Cost – From initial costs to incentives to ongoing insurance expense, the present and expected costs dominate the decision to install a PV system.
Part 3: Forecasting the Value of Electricity – Utility and governmental policies affect how much electricity is worth. Not all electrons are created equal.
Part 4: Understanding Incentives – Federal, state, and local incentives can greatly affect the financial viability of a PV installation.
Part 5: Conducting a Financial Analysis – Accurately evaluating the viability of a PV system requires understanding financial concepts, such as simple payback, net present value, and the levelized cost of energy. Preferences for risk, environmental attributes, and independence also inform these measures of viability.
Part 6: PV Solar Example – The importance of accurate evaluation is clear when applied to a hypothetical project.
SOLAR LEASING GUIDE
Farm Energy RESOURCES
Peak Demand Energy Charges in Agriculture Research Project - Technical Reports:
Understanding Electric Demand Charges - Farm Energy Management Technical Report # FEM-19-01 (April 2019)
Case Study: SDEM Swine Farm Demand Energy Monitoring (December 2020)
Case Study: BFEM Swine Farm Demand Energy Monitoring (April 2021)
Farm Energy Fact Sheets:
An Introduction to On-Farm Solar Electric Systems (CDFS-4101)
Estimating the Size of Your Solar Electric System (CDFS-4102)
On-Farm Solar Site Assessment (CDFS-4103)
Financial Considerations of On-Farm Renewable Energy (CDFS-4104)
On-Farm Solar Electric System Safety (CDFS-4105)
Forage as Vegetative Cover for Utility-Scale Solar in Ohio (CDFS-4106) NEW - 6/24/2021
solar energy fact sheets
Using Solar Energy to Produce Electricity for Ohioans (11-CMD-732)
On-Farm Solar Electric System Safety (CDFS-4105)
SHale Energy Development Economic Impact Analysis Fact Sheet series
Ohio Energy Trends: Comparing Old And New Energy Development (CDFS-SED-1)
Characteristics Of A Boomtown (CDFS-SED-2)
Contributing Factors To A Boomtown Bust (CDFS-SED-3)
Developing A Model To Measure Economic Change In An Energy Economy (CDFS-SED-4)
Local Economic Development Strategies For Energy Boomtowns (CDFS-SED-5)
Community Planning Strategies For Energy Boomtowns (CDFS-SED-6)
Renewable Energy Policy Fact Sheet Series
Ohio SB 221 (CDFS-4001)
SB 232 - Leveling the Playing Field (CDFS-4002)
The Effect of Renewable Energy Projects on Current Agricultural Use Value (CDFS-4003)
Rules for Siting a Utility Scale Wind Farm in Ohio (CDFS-4004)
wind energy fact sheets
Wind Energy Development as an Economic Development Strategy for Rural Areas (11-CMD-849)
Hydraulic fracturing fact sheets
Summary of Hydraulic Fracturing in Ohio (SOGD-DEV1)
Biomass AvailAbility fact sheets
Biomass Availability in Northwest Ohio (AEX-541)