Bill to ease approval of wind, solar farms flops, but debate rages on
FREE NEWSLETTERS Wildcat Wind Farm in Tipton County. (IBJ photo/Eric Learned)
A strong coalition of renewable energy developers, major businesses and manufacturers could not muster enough support in the Indiana Senate Tuesday to pass a bill that would have shifted some local control over the siting of wind and solar farms to the state.
The Senate’s less comprehensive version of House Bill 1381 technically died after it wasn’t even called for a vote by Sen. Mark Messmer, R-Jasper, following a Republican caucus meeting.
“There wasn’t enough support to pass the bill,” Messmer said. “There’s no sense talking about a bill that’s not going anywhere.”
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While the rapid transition to renewable energy may save utility customers money in the long run, it can lead to higher energy bills in the short term. That’s because customers are still paying off retired coal plants while also funding new energy sources.
A state Senate bill would study how to reduce those costs through securitization. Much like refinancing a home, it allows customers to pay off coal plants over a longer period of time at a lower rate lowering energy bills. Tim Phelps is with the Indiana Conservative Alliance for Energy, which supports the legislation.
“These securitization tools could help speed up the state’s inevitable transition to cleaner, more renewable energy and save money along the way, he said.