Washington – Senator Evan Bayh successfully amended a comprehensive energy bill this week that will send money directly to Indiana for renewable energy projects, electric drive vehicles and to lower the cost of Hoosier electric bills.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is currently considering a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), a mandate that electric utilities produce 15 percent of their power from renewable sources, such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy by 2021.

“Washington is poised to impose a renewable electricity standard that could disproportionately impact Indiana and other states that generate most of their energy from coal,” Bayh, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said.

Utilities that are unable to meet the renewable energy mandate have an option of paying an ‘alternative compliance payment,’ a penalty to meet the requirements of the mandate.

Under the original bill, utility companies were directed to send their penalty payments to the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.  Bayh’s amendment instead directs the money to a state renewable energy fund managed by the governor.

Bayh added: “If the federal government intends to fine utilities that are unable to comply with this questionable measure, I believe those payments ought to go right back to Indiana to develop renewable energy projects and to help middle-class Hoosiers pay their energy bills.”

###