Accelerating Deployment of Advanced Energy Would Save  Indiana  Residents $3.6 Billion By 2035 

New report highlights benefits of improving Indiana’s siting and permitting rules 

Indianapolis, IN–As electricity demand soars, utility bills continue to rise for Indiana consumers. One culprit of higher bills is the supply crunch the state is experiencing. A new report offers one step Indiana can take to tackle rising bills: Accelerate the deployment of clean energy resources.

Indiana utility customers would save $3.6 billion on their bills between now and 2035 if the state accelerated development of solar, wind, and battery storage projects, according to the report produced by Synapse Energy Economics for Advanced Energy United.

“Building more in-state advanced energy generation can be a powerful tool in the fight for energy affordability,” said Advanced Energy United Managing Director Trish Demeter.  “Unfortunately, cumbersome red tape continues to make Indiana a tough state to build new projects that could bring critical energy supply to the grid as rising energy needs are causing Hoosiers’ bills to go up.”

Accelerating the building of more clean energy generation is one key way the state can tackle rising energy costs. Doing so would translate into average cumulative residential bill savings of $90-$410 per customer over the modeled period, depending on where in Indiana the customer lives.

Right now, utility bills are continuously increasing because demand for electricity is outstripping the available supply. Indiana residential customers served by investor-owned utilities saw average bill increases of 18% from 2024 to 2025; Hoosiers paid $28 more per month on average in 2025 than 2024. Moving forward, Indiana’s annual energy demand is projected to more than double by 2035. Without proactive policy intervention, this level of load growth could create further electricity cost increases.

State policymakers are noticing the trends. Governor Mike Braun cited energy affordability as a key concern for the state, and legislation (House Bill 1002) has passed the Indiana House and is currently under consideration in the Indiana Senate which contains several provisions aimed at curbing consumer costs.

“Utility rates are too high,” Governor Braun said during his State of the State address last month. Last year, during a fireside chat, Governor Braun talked about the need for more energy generation. “Indiana is uniquely positioned to be the national leader in energy generation. To ensure affordable prices for ratepayers, we must increase energy supply,” he said.

There are energy projects ready to increase that supply. “Hundreds if not thousands of new clean energy projects are lined up in regional transmission queues, and can be built quickly and affordably, and contribute to increasing energy supply as well as the state’s all-of-the-above strategy,” Demeter said. “Reducing the barriers to building projects is yet another way state policymakers can alleviate some of the price spikes consumers are experiencing.”

Last year, Indiana legislators passed and Governor Braun signed Senate Enrolled Act 425, attempting to provide predictability and clarity for businesses by streamlining the permitting process for new energy generation projects. While this bill was limited in scope and only addressed a few types of energy generation technologies, it took a great step in the right direction by placing a one-year limit on local moratoria on wind, solar, and battery storage projects. Yet, since the bill’s effective date in July 2025, counties have continued to impose restrictions so severe they act as moratoriums.

“Increasingly, businesses view Indiana as a risky place to build, and do not have enough certainty to invest in critical energy supply. Patchwork regulations, long delays in processing applications, and arbitrary restrictions make operating incredibly difficult. Creating one understandable policy by which communities, local governments, developers, and landowners can follow will help ensure the state does not leave $3.6 billion in consumer savings on the table,” Demeter added.

“To realize these savings, decision-makers must reduce regulatory red tape for businesses that want to invest in Indiana, and for landowners eager to partner with project owners. Modernizing the rules by which these advanced energy projects undergo review and approval would increase power generation in Indiana, rather than having to import power from other states to secure adequate energy supply,” Demeter said.

Download the full report here.