Dive Brief:
- A now-defunct energy efficiency program was saving Indiana $3 for every $1 spent on residential efficiency, according to a new report by the state's Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC).
- On the commercial and industrial side, the savings were as much as $5.49 for each dollar spent.
- In March, Gov. Mike Pence declined to veto a bill that called for the Energizing Indiana program to be defunded at the end of the year.
Dive Insight:
Did Indiana cancel its energy efficiency program too soon? A new report conducted by the Energy Center of Wisconsin at the behest of the state's utility regulators found that the program was saving money — and would have continued to generate net benefits for several years. "Core and Core Plus programs are expected to produce overall positive net benefits to Indiana through 2019," according to the report.
Some critics say costs were rising, and lawmakers wanted assurances that the program was effective. Despite remaining cost effective, the report did find that "total costs for the Core and Core Plus programs combined are projected to increase from $200 million in 2015 to $549 million in 2019."
The Herald-Times of Bloomington, Ind., published an editorial calling on the legislature to restart the program, adding that its cancelation is an "unfortunate thing."
"The Legislature said it wanted more evidence the program was helpful," the editorial board noted. "The report is filled with the positive evidence the 'pause' button employed by Senate Enrolled Act 340 didn’t need to be punched."
