Letter asks AES and Duke Energy for a new Green Tariff program
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, December 15, 2022 – Today, Indiana Advanced Energy Economy (Indiana AEE) is joined by the cities of Indianapolis and Bloomington, as well as companies Coca-Cola, Walmart, Salesforce, Cummins, Rivian, and Roche, all of which have headquarters or major operations in Indiana, in calling on Indiana’s two largest utilities, Duke Energy and AES, to make it easier to purchase renewable energy in the state.
These municipalities and companies formally requested the two utilities offer up more options for large energy customers to source their electricity from renewable energy. Participating in such an offering, often referred to as a ‘Green Tariff,’ would allow the cities and companies to purchase the output of new, locally-sourced renewable energy, with the goal of greening their electricity use while supporting the development of renewable energy supplies in Indiana.
“There is strong customer demand for clean energy in Indiana,” said Caryl Auslander, Executive Director of Indiana AEE. “Many corporations, cities, and institutions in Indiana have clean energy goals, and they are dependent on Indiana’s utilities, like Duke and AES, to get their energy. Many large energy use customers want to choose renewable energy and we’re asking Duke and AES to give them more options.”
The letter’s signatories are encouraging Duke Energy and AES to design a Green Tariff that meets the needs of its large energy customers, many of which are interested in the lower and less volatile costs provided by renewable energy technologies. A well-designed Green Tariff allows access to renewable energy sources without shifting costs to other customers or risking stranded assets for the utility. Green Tariffs have been established by utilities across the U.S., including in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
“Coca-Cola Consolidated is committed to working to reduce energy intensity by 2028. How we power our bottling facilities plays a big part in helping to meet this goal," said Todd Marty, Sr. Director of Sustainability for Coca-Cola Consolidated, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. “As we continue to invest in Indiana, we’re hopeful the state’s utilities can offer electricity from more sustainable sources of energy, such as wind and solar. Working with utilities in this way would help us meet our sustainability targets and help us potentially stabilize our energy costs over the long term.”
“We’re striving towards creating healthier and more resilient communities with Thrive Indianapolis, our sustainability and resilience action plan, and using more renewable energy is a key part of our long-term sustainability goals,” said Morgan Mickelson, Director of Sustainability for the City of Indianapolis. “The City of Indianapolis is interested in more clean energy choices that not only improve the quality of life for our communities, but also spurs the investments needed to lower energy costs long-term for our city.”
“Thanks to the Zero In Bloomington initiative and our Climate Action Plan, Bloomington is charting a course towards a carbon-free future powered by renewable energy,” said Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton. “A new green tariff choice would make it easier for Bloomington to choose renewable power and help affirm our community’s position as a sustainability leader in the region.”
"Partnerships with utilities are foundational to Rivian's decarbonization strategy and our commitment to power our charging network with 100% renewable energy," said Coley Girouard of Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer and technology company. "A key component of this strategy is working directly with utilities to drive the development of new, locally impactful renewable energy projects through innovative green tariff programs."
“States that have expanded access to renewable energy have also proven to be particularly attractive to businesses,” added Auslander. “If just 10 percent of commercial and industrial energy use were to opt into this kind of renewable energy offering, it could generate $3.4 billion in new investment in renewable energy capacity. These investments would create Hoosier jobs and increase county tax revenue."
The public is invited to learn more about the proposal and download a fact sheet about Green Tariffs at: www.aee.net/indiana-green-tariffs.