New law gives Indiana counties incentives to provide renewable energy. - IndyStar

New law gives Indiana counties incentives to provide renewable energy.

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Lawrence Mayor Steve Collier recently wrote in an op-ed, "… the best policy begins at home and rises through the ranks." I believe that to be true and hear our communities' and states' voices loud and clear. There is a solution, and we need more leaders to advocate on their behalf. I am proud to do my part and take action with Senate Enrolled Act 390, which I authored this year and will soon become Indiana law. The legislation incentivizes counties to adopt standards to be designated as a solar or wind-ready community.

SEA 390 has the potential to provide the needed nudge for counties to partner with state leaders to make Indiana the best place in the country for clean energy. By embracing consistent wind or solar project standards that are not more restrictive than the state, counties can signal to developers, investors and job creators that they are open for business. The new Commercial Solar and Wind Energy Ready Communities Development Center within the Indiana Office of Energy Development will support counties' renewable energy goals with financial support similar to other economic development incentives that have successfully spurred growth in Indiana’s economy.

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Renewable energy is beneficial to Hoosier counties — it creates locally sourced, low-cost power and provides millions in tax revenue and land lease payments to landowners, and prepares us to meet future energy needs. The incentives provided in this new law will propel our communities into the 21st century by offering a pathway to energy independence and grid security, something we also focused on this session.

The law leans into our communities' prior success, as more than half of the counties in the state already have some level of solar and wind energy standards. Indiana legislators worked together, engaged in difficult conversations and compromised in good faith, to pass the critical bipartisan legislation into law.

Uniform standards for renewable energy development help remove the guesswork for companies looking to locate in Indiana and create opportunities for our state. This new law will encourage home-grown energy as renewable-ready counties continue to be great partners in the state’s energy future, creating a more reliable grid and an energy-independent Indiana along the way. With these ideas and policies in place, we can make changes to better our home and take strides in our state.

Mark Messmer is a Republican state senator from Jasper serving Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike and Spencer counties. He also served in Indiana’s House of Representatives from 2008 until 2014.