News

Poll finds bipartisan support for added incentives behind state standard for clean energy zoning and permitting

INDIANAPOLIS, August 15, 2023 – A new statewide poll of likely Indiana voters found widespread support for clean energy resources and for rules that would make it easier to build clean energy in the state.

Cygnal, an international polling and public opinion firm, surveyed 800 likely voters from July 17-18, finding widespread support for renewable energy across the state. A majority of respondents supported  wind (60%) and solar (70%) in the state’s energy production mix, and a majority of respondents from all regions of the state said they would be more likely to vote for candidates in 2024 who supported Indiana’s renewable energy development.

The poll also found 67% of Hoosiers, including a majority of Republicans, would favor legislation to require a uniform standard for the zoning, permitting, and location of renewable energy projects in the state, while four-fifths agreed Indiana should strive to provide consistent and clear regulations to help attract businesses and boost the economy. Over half of all respondents said they would support using state funds to create a financial incentive for local governments that voluntarily adhered to the state standard.

Indianapolis Business Journal publishes an article on the future of Indiana's electricity grid written by United's Trish Demeter and Ed Burgess from Strategen.

Much has changed since Indiana’s electric utilities last issued their plans to power Hoosier homes and businesses—fossil fuel prices, supply chains, federal policies, geopolitics and technologies, to name just a few.

These changes have opened new opportunities to offer customers lower energy prices and cleaner air. But if Indiana utilities move ahead with their current proposals that ignore these rapidly evolving market conditions, they will waste their customers’ money on 20th century strategies and technologies. Don’t Hoosiers deserve better options for an affordable, reliable and modern grid?

Four of the state’s largest electric utilities—CenterPoint, Duke Energy Indiana, Indiana Michigan Power and Northern Indiana Public Service Co.—have proposed replacing coal-fi red powerplants with natural-gas-fueled plants. It’s like upgrading from a1995 Toyota Corolla to a 2005 Toyota Corolla when, for the same price or less, you could have a Ford Mustang Mach-e. It would be irresponsible for these utilities to not reconsider their plans before breaking ground on new projects when changing market conditions make potentially cost-saving and innovative solutions available.

RTO Insider published a report on the savings Indiana's top three utilities could see by investing in battery storage, quoting Trish Demeter on the importance of committing to cheaper, cleaner, advanced energy technologies for Indiana residents.

The report analyzed battery storage compared to natural gas “peakers” currently proposed by Indiana utilities

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., May 3, 2023 – Some of the largest utilities in Indiana could save their customers a combined $73.1 million by switching to advanced energy technologies instead of moving forward with plans to build new gas-fired power plants. The finding comes in a new study by Strategen Consulting, which analyzed several scenarios that considered a range of fuel and technology costs and deployment strategies and found that the utilities could achieve equivalent reliability and save their customers millions of dollars by building battery storage instead of new natural gas combustion turbines.

WFYI Indianapolis detailed major Indiana companies' ask to create a green tariff program, quoting Trish Demeter on the demand for renewable energy options. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Two Indiana cities and six major companies in the state want AES Indiana and Duke Energy to make it easier for them to get their power from renewables. That’s according to a letter sent Thursday from Indianapolis, Bloomington, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Salesforce, Cummins, Rivian and Roche.

Indy Star featured a letter from Indiana’s major employers asking utilities for more clean energy offerings, quoting Caryl Auslander on the letter's asks. Read snippets below and the full story here.

Several of Indiana’s major employers and biggest cities are not happy with their energy options — they want more, and they want it cleaner.

IBJ outlined Indiana business' ask for more renewable energy options, citing Caryl Auslander on the demand for advanced energy. Read snippets below and the full story here.

A trade group that promotes clean energy, the cities of Indianapolis andBloomington, and several of the state’s largest employers on Thursday issued a formal request to the state’s two largest utilities, asking them to offer more options to large energy customers to receive their electricity from renewable energy.

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.