While the scale of change needed to mitigate the climate crisis can feel overwhelming, it’s vital to remember that solutions abound. Readily available technology like solar, wind, battery storage, and energy efficiency help us combat climate change, drive down utility costs for consumers, and improve our water and air quality. 

Indiana’s Dirty Energy

Electric power production is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Indiana, followed by industry and transportation. 

Indiana remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels - both coal and gas - to produce electricity. A big part of the problem is that Indiana's monopoly electric utilities are shielded from the financial risk associated with using coal and gas to generate electricity. Making matters worse, Indiana’s state legislators have enabled utilities to delay transitioning to cheaper, cleaner options.

Indiana’s Energy Transition: Change is Happening

Despite challenges at the Indiana Statehouse, CAC has made considerable progress in expediting our state’s energy transition in proceedings at the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, especially through Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) and our work to increase investments in energy efficiency. 

IRPs describe how utilities plan to provide power for the next 20 years, creating a critical opportunity to push for a clean and affordable energy transition. CAC spent years advocating for more public involvement in IRPs, and we’re witnessing the difference that increased public input makes. Our advocacy helped push Indiana utilities to replace old, expensive, and unreliable fossil fuel plants with 12,000 MW of affordable solar and wind energy by 2030.

CAC firmly believes that Indiana's energy policy must address both the climate crisis AND the affordability crisis.

We advocate for solar, wind, battery storage, and energy efficiency not only because they help to reduce Indiana’s contribution to climate change (and help to improve our poor water and air quality), but also because they are cheaper to operate and maintain than fossil fuels. 

Renewables and efficiency also do not require fuel to operate. As a result, they are not subject to the regular and ongoing volatility of coal and gas prices and fuel-supply constraints, a major contributor to Indiana’s ongoing utility affordability crisis.

Renewables paired with battery storage can serve as dispatchable energy sources, helping to replace dirty and expensive fossil fuel plants - both coal and gas - that have traditionally been used to meet peak demand.  Reducing demand through energy efficiency programs also plays a vital role in managing Indiana’s energy transition while strengthening affordability for Hoosier consumers. 

False Climate Solutions

The beauty of solar, wind, battery storage, and energy efficiency is that these technologies are readily available, they are proven to work, and they have been proven to be cost effective. 

CAC remains skeptical of unproven technologies that are branded as solutions to the climate crisis, especially when utility customers are forced to foot the bill.

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) are a prime example of a false climate solution. Legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 2022 and 2023 gives utilities Construction Work in Progress (CWIP) to construct SMRs. CWIP shifts construction risk from shareholders to captive ratepayers by letting utilities charge customers before plants produce any energy, and even if they never do. Right now, zero SMRs are operating in the United States, and there is only one operating in the entire world. The first SMR in the US is projected to cost $9.3 billion (and rising), and start operating in 2029 (and counting), although construction hasn’t even started yet. Compared to affordable, readily available technology like wind, solar, and efficiency, nuclear power has no place in any climate mitigation strategy.

CAC is also concerned about Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS). BP has been knocking on doors and holding meetings with county commissioners in Northwest Indiana, seeking land rights to inject toxic, highly-pressurized, liquid carbon dioxide waste under our homes, farm fields, and other property, and build massive pipelines to transport this waste stream.

In 2023, after four years of trying, Wabash Valley Resources finally succeeded in getting the Indiana General Assembly to pass SB451, which forces Hoosier property owners to allow toxic, highly pressurized carbon dioxide waste to be stored long-term underneath our properties without our consent. SB451 also puts Hoosiers on the hook for the long-term costs and liabilities associated with any problems  which can occur as a result of storing toxic carbon dioxide waste underground.

Injecting and transporting toxic, highly pressurized carbon dioxide waste raises serious concerns for water quality, seismic activity, public health, and property values/rights.

It is ridiculous to pretend CCS is a climate change mitigation strategy. When companies can externalize all the costs and liabilities while also profiting heavily from carbon dioxide waste, they will absolutely continue to create it, usually by continuing to burn fossil fuels. In fact, there's a good chance they'll ramp it up.