In an opinion piece for Crain's Chicago Business, United's Samarth Medakkar and Climate Control Group’s Joe Parsons highlight the cost savings and grid benefits of geothermal heating and cooling, urging lawmakers to expand access to these proven technologies by passing House Bills 3399 and 3609.
Crain's Chicago Business: Opinion - Geothermal Heat Pumps Help Lower Energy Costs. How Can Illinois Deploy More?
Topics: United In The News, Illinois, Samarth Medakkar, Building Electrification, Geothermal
Illinois House Passes Legislation to Help Utility Consumers Access Efficiency Programs, Bill Support
Advanced Energy United applauds the Illinois House for passing House Bill 3650 to help homeowners, renters, and building owners lower their energy bills and make improvements to their properties.
Illinoisans will benefit greatly from the bill, which would create a State Navigator Program to link them with already-available programs that could lower the cost of their utility bills or reduce the price of making energy efficiency improvements to their properties.
Topics: Utility, Press Releases, Energy Efficiency, Illinois, Samarth Medakkar
Sen. Cunningham and Rep. Evans Introduce Illinois Energy Storage Bill to Save Consumers $2.4 Billion
HB3758/SB2497 solidifies Illinois’ leadership as national officials back away from clean energy
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., February 25, 2025 – Illinois families and businesses would see lower energy bills under HB3758/SB2497, a newly filed bill by Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) and Rep. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago).
“With energy prices skyrocketing across the country and leaders in Washington opening the floodgates for fossil fuels, our bill makes it clear that Illinois will remain at the forefront of lowering energy costs while investing in clean energy,” Sen. Cunningham said. “HB3758/SB2497 proves to the nation that we don’t have to choose between taking care of our communities, our economy, and our planet.”
Topics: Press Releases, Illinois, Samarth Medakkar, Battery Storage
New Electric Fleet Incentive Bill Will Help Expand Use of Electric Buses and Trucks in Illinois
Advanced Energy United applauds the legislation that now heads to Gov. Pritzker’s desk
SPRINGFIELD, IL - The Illinois Legislature this week voted to create a new incentive program for electric fleet vehicles, such as delivery trucks and school buses. House Bill 4196, sponsored by Representative Martin J. Moylan and Senator Ram Villivalam, establishes the first-in-the-Midwest program to help small businesses, school districts and public fleet owners overcome economic barriers to purchase electric vehicles, which can have higher upfront costs but significantly lower lifetime costs to own and operate.
Topics: Press Releases, Electric Vehicles, Electric school buses, Illinois, Samarth Medakkar
Crain's Business Chicago: Peoples Gas' Pipe Replacement Should Not Restart
Late last month, the Illinois Commerce Commission suspended Peoples Gas' pipe replacement and ordered an investigation into this program, which is responsible for an increase in rates since work began in 2011. The call to restart the program in the op-ed "The ICC needs to restart Peoples Gas' pipeline replacement immediately" (Nov. 29) is shortsighted, and doesn't factor in the surge in market trends toward home electrification technologies, driven by consumer choice.
Topics: United In The News, Illinois, Samarth Medakkar
Consumers' Gas Investment Plans Threaten Skyrocketing Heating Bills, Stranded Infrastructure in Michigan
Report from Strategen Consulting and Advanced Energy United calls on Michigan decision-makers to study changing market conditions and cost-containment strategies for natural gas.
LANSING, MICHIGAN –Consumers Energy customers may see their gas bills increase up to 50% over the next decade according to a new report.
The report from Strategen Consulting analyzed Consumers’ 10-year Natural Gas Delivery Plan, warning that the utility’s $11 billion of planned infrastructure investments is unjustifiable and stems from faulty analysis and profit bias. The report estimates that the planned investments, coupled with conservative predictions for reduced gas demand from trends in electrification and energy efficiency, could cause the average residential bill to grow as high as $130 a month by 2030 – up from $75 in 2021.
Topics: Press Releases, Michigan, Samarth Medakkar
Gov. Whitmer Calls for Permitting Reforms Alongside Clean Energy Standard, Other Climate Bills
Advanced Energy United applauds Governor Whitmer’s vision for achieving 100% clean energy by 2035
LANSING, MICHIGAN – In her “What’s Next Address,” Governor Whitmer named her clean energy priorities for the remainder of the legislative session, among them: reforms to permitting of large-scale renewable energy, a 100% clean energy standard, improvements to utility energy waste reduction programs, and authorization of the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to consider equity and climate in its regulation of utilities.
“From her implementation of the MI Healthy Climate Plan, to the huge investments in clean energy in the most recent state budget, and the onshoring of battery manufacturing, Governor Whitmer’s leadership on clean energy is undeniable,” said Samarth Medakkar, Policy Principal with Advanced Energy United. “We appreciate this comprehensive approach which not only sets ambitious targets for renewable power and energy efficiency, but also lays out practical reforms for permitting processes and regulatory oversight that will make those goals possible.”
Topics: Press Releases, Michigan, Samarth Medakkar
Solar Industry Magazine: Michigan Budget Invests Big in Clean Energy Transition
Solar Industry Magazine reviews Michigan's fiscal year 2024 budget with significant allocations toward advanced energy technologies and greenhouse gas reductions, quoting Samarth Medakkar on how this will help boost the already-growing clean economy in the state.
The Michigan legislature passed a fiscal year 2024 budget which received bipartisan support and will go into effect immediately after approval from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The state budget makes key investments in infrastructure including advanced energy, which will add jobs to the state’s strong clean energy industry while improving grid resiliency, lowering energy bills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“This budget represents a historic investment in Michigan’s infrastructure and doubles down on the jobs that are part of the fastest growing industry sectors in the nation,” says Samarth Medakkar, Michigan state lead for Advanced Energy United, the national association of businesses working to achieve 100% clean energy and electrified transportation.
Topics: United In The News, Michigan, Samarth Medakkar
Michigan’s Latest Budget Makes Progress on Clean Energy and Transportation
Advanced Energy United commends Michigan legislators for passing a strong budget that will advance transportation electrification, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and resiliency. Work remains—the legislature must take bold action on clean energy after summer recess.
Topics: Press Releases, Michigan, Samarth Medakkar
Energy News Network: Why the State Budget This Year Is Key to Michigan’s Transportation Future
In an op-ed in Energy News Network, Samarth Medakkar joins Michigan EIBC President Laura Sherman in writing about the ways Michigan's 2024 budget is set to expand the state's EV infrastructure and how the Gov. Whitmer administration can fully realize its EV goals with that funding.
The shift to electric vehicles is firmly under way in Michigan. Across the Whitmer administration, the legislature, local and municipal governments and the private sector, a number of initiatives have been launched to make that transition happen. But the next year or so might be the most crucial time to determine the success of those efforts.
Through fiscal year 2026, the state of Michigan is receiving about $110 million in federal funding to realize the state’s plan to build an electric vehicle (EV) charger at least every 50 miles along several highway routes that the state has nominated for the federal government to designate as Alternative Fuel Corridors. These include some of the most well-known and well-traveled routes in the state, like Petoskey to the Mackinac Bridge and Detroit to the Blue Water Bridge. This $110 million comes from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, a U.S. Department of Transportation program created by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Topics: United In The News, Samarth Medakkar