Ohio’s cautionary tale on data centers is a lesson for us all

When I moved to the thriving suburb of Hilliard, Ohio, three years ago, I never imagined I would be on the front lines of fossil fuel expansion. But that’s what happened, thanks to a new law allowing data centers to fast-track approval for “behind-the-meter” energy generation.

That law makes Ohio a case study on how not to power a data center.

Starting in 2020, Hilliard welcomed three Amazon data center campuses. The projects were seen as major investments bringing in good-paying jobs and tax revenue for schools. But in 2025, the Ohio legislature passed House Bill 15, which allows data centers to get approval for “major utility facilities” on land they own to generate energy behind the meter — meaning the electricity is not put onto the grid but used solely to power the data center.

The process takes just 60 days, with no public notice, no public hearing and no consultation with local officials. Approval is automatic, meaning no formal vote. And because the generation facility must go on land owned by the data center, the only viable option is gas.

Soon after H.B. 15 went into effect, and before anyone knew what was happening, the largest fracked-gas fuel cell project in North America was quietly approved, and an air permit issued for one of Hilliard’s Amazon data centers. The gas fuel cell will emit 1.45 million pounds of carbon dioxide every day — as if 66,000 gas cars were parked onsite and running 24/7 — next to hundreds of homes, a park and an elementary school.

Hilliard is just one example of behind-the-meter gas generation for data centers in Ohio. So far, 11 combustion gas turbine plants totaling 5,200........

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