Session Moderator: Jim Atterholt, Chairman, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission


State Rep Mary Ann Sullivan (Member, Environmental Affairs Committee)

Rep Sullivan is a proponent of the following opportunities for using policy and regulation to further sustainability:

* PACE bills: A growing trend across the country, these bills allow property owners to finance their energy efficiency and renewable energy projects over the life of the property. The costs of the upgrades or solar panels, for example, stay with the property, not the owner, and are paid off over time. Indiana worked to get a bill through earlier this year, but did not quite make it. Advantages of PACE bills are that they are voluntary, create jobs, use private investements, and make communities healthiers by reducing emissions and increasing property values.

* Wants Indiana building managers to report publically energy use of their properties. Transparency is an important first steps, and in some parts of the country (like San Francisco) this information is already being publically reported.

* Extended producer responsibility laws: Theses laws require product manufacturers to take responsibility for their products throughout their life, not just until they are sold, including the disposal/recycling/reuse of products and toxics management.

State Rep Wes Culver (Vice Chair, Public Policy Committee):

Rep Culver key points covered:

* Believes energy policy should be bi-partisan

* Is a proponent of more incentives, expanding net metering (allowing people to use renewable energy at home or business and supplement with power from the GRID), PACE bills, deregulation, "smart outlets" for residential use, natural gas for trucks and fleets.

* Wants utility companies to be more open to the "Garage mechanics" of energy generation -- encourage energy entrepreneurs to sell power into the grid. More competition is a good thing, and would drive energy prices down.


Brandon Seitz, Director, Indiana Dept of Energy:

Brandon presented a variety of energy sustainability programs underway at the Dept, including

* Community energy plans (community audits, followed by energy project plans)

* Indiana Heating and Air Conditioning Incentive Program

* Greater Indiana Clean Cities partnerships, including animal waste to energy and electric vehicles distribution


Q&A & Discussion:

* If we are going to reduce our dependance on foreign energy, how can we grow domestic energy production that is renewable? Both Reps. Culver and Sullivan underscored the need for more innovation, to tap current areas of waste and channel them into new energy sources. Policy makers need to be bold enough to issue the challenges, via smart policies, to industry to innovate around clean energy technologies.

* Rep Sullivan: We need to tie these larger energy issues to Hoosier values (patriotism, frugality).