Report: Rural Indiana Could Be 'Center of a New Energy Economy for America,' Based on Abundant Wind, Biomass and Other Renewable Energy Sources

Report: Rural Indiana Could Be 'Center of a New Energy Economy for America,'
Based on Abundant Wind, Biomass and Other Renewable Energy Sources

Major Clean Energy Job Creation Boom Seen for Economically Struggling Hoosier
State

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wind power, biomass, and other
sources of renewable energy will bring significant job creation, economic
investment and new tax revenues to Indiana's struggling rural communities,
according to a new report released today by the Natural Resources Defense
Council (NRDC).

"Facing an unprecedented set of economic challenges, Indiana stands at a new
crossroads and is poised for healthy growth if it can take advantage of the
enormous potential for development of its exceptional renewable resources"
said report author Martin R. Cohen, an independent energy policy analyst.
"With some of the world's most productive farmland, ample water, and steady
winds, Indiana has all the ingredients needed to be at the center of a new
energy economy for America. Tapping into this vast reservoir of clean energy
would create tens of thousands of high-quality jobs and give a big boost to
farm income and rural economies across the state."

Titled "A Clean Energy Economy for Indiana: Analysis of the Rural Economic
Development Potential of Renewable Resources," the report examines the
potential for renewable energy resource development, specifically looking at
how the Hoosier state's considerable wind, biomass and biogas potential will
benefit rural communities.

"The good news is that Indiana's prospects for long-term economic recovery are
directly tied to its energy future, which looks quite promising," added Cohen.
"Clean energy can bring jobs and income to rural Indiana. Within Indiana's
borders are vast resources of wind, land, and water - all the ingredients
needed for Indiana to become a national leader in new energy development,
creating tens of thousands of good jobs and substantial new sources of income
for farmers."

People in Indiana spend more than $24 billion per year on gasoline and other
petroleum fuels, natural gas, and coal for electricity production, building
heat, transportation, and industrial use. That translates to almost $3,800 in
fuel costs per person -- and 91 percent of those Indiana energy dollars leave
the state, never to return.

Indiana's total fuel production amounts to 6 percent of the nation's ethanol
and 3 percent of U.S. coal annually. Coal is used to produce 95 percent of the
state's electricity. Because Indiana coal is high in pollutants and relatively
expensive to mine, however, utilities import most of their coal from other
states, with more than one-third of it shipped from Wyoming. As an industrial
center and transportation hub, Indiana is a big energy user -- ninth in the
country in per capita energy consumption -- but most of Indiana's energy
dollars are literally going up in smoke. This drag on Indiana's economy will
only get worse if nothing is done to reduce energy consumption and to develop
homegrown clean energy resources.

Among the key findings in the report:

-- Wind Power -- Almost one-third of Indiana has commercially viable wind
resources. Although Indiana saw the largest percentage jump in wind
development of any state in 2008, it ranks just 14th in operating
capacity. If 30 commercial-scale wind farms were built in Indiana, the
result would be tens of thousands of construction jobs, including
1,260
permanent jobs, $71 million in annual property tax revenue, and $201
million per year in ongoing positive economic impact on local
communities.
-- Biofuels -- Cellulosic ethanol, made from organic waste materials,
crop
residue, and nonfood plants is the next generation of smart biofuels.
Existing usable Indiana crop and timber residues are sufficient to
produce 770 million gallons of transportation fuels annually,
equivalent
to 28 percent of all the gasoline used in Indiana each year. An
average
corn farm could see potential gross revenue of $14,500 from harvesting
corn stover. Ten cellulosic plants, each with a 50-million-gallon
capacity would create 1,940 long-term jobs, $207 million in annual
economic activity, and $12.4 million in local property taxes.
-- Biopower -- Electricity generation that combines solid biomass with
coal
at existing power plants would be a relatively low-cost way to ramp up
renewable resource development across Indiana and cut back on coal
consumption. Biopower is a renewable energy resource that can be
stored
and converted into electricity whenever it is needed. Farms across
most
of Indiana are close enough to an existing coal-fired plant to supply
biomass feedstock. If 10 percent of Indiana's coal-fired power
capacity
were replaced with biopower plants, more than 3,600 new long-term jobs
would be created to produce and harvest the biomass fuel.

-- Biogas -- Methane from decomposing manure is a powerful greenhouse gas
with 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. But
burning methane curbs its harmful effect on the environment and
creates
valuable energy with many ancillary benefits. In addition to providing
a
potential source of revenue and energy for livestock operations,
anaerobic digestion systems (biogas) create high-quality fertilizer
and
other byproducts while reducing odors, water pollution, and emissions.
Biogas production is currently feasible at 234 Indiana large-scale
swine
operations in 34 counties, and potentially at livestock operations in
67
counties as technology improves.

"Renewable energy is key to sustainable income for agriculture," said Jim
Benham, president, Indiana Farmers Union. "As long as we have offsets for
agriculture, it's a dramatic benefit for farmers and I think the offsets will
more than make up for any costs associated with climate legislation. Failing
to pass climate change legislation is not an option. It will help American
farmers and ranchers continue to provide consumers with the most affordable
and abundant food supply in the world."

Sam Miller, president, Solstice Architecture; Indianapolis, said: "The
potential of wind energy in Indiana is staggering. The approximate power
output of the entire state is roughly 10,000 megawatts. NOAA wind mapping
suggests up to 40,000 megawatts of wind power is available within our
boundaries, four times the output of our present day coal based utilities."

With the right policies in place, Indiana can be at the heart of a new energy
future for America. The development of homegrown renewable energy is the
keystone of such policy. While Indiana has taken important initial steps to
implement clean energy policies, those actions must go arm-in-arm with
national policies that will move America toward a revitalized energy economy.
Fortunately, the House passed this summer a comprehensive climate and energy
bill entitled "America's Clean Energy and Security Act" that is a strong step
forward towards building a clean energy economy. Companion legislation was
introduced in late September in the U.S. Senate.

"A national commitment to sustainable energy production would reduce our
dependence on foreign oil and improve our energy security, create tens of
thousands of new Indiana jobs and revitalize rural communities, support the
growth and prosperity of Indiana farms, and create a sustainable environment
for future generations," said Pierre Bull, NRDC Policy Analyst.

A Clean Energy Economy for Indiana: Analysis of the Rural Economic Development
Potential of Renewable Resources was commissioned by NRDC and is available
online at http://www.nrdc.org/energy/cleanIN/.

CAN'T PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio replay of the news event will be
available on the Web at http://tcp3.com/xsqf as of 5 p.m. EDT on October 7,
2009.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of
scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting
public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.3 million
members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington,
Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing. www.nrdc.org.

SOURCE Natural Resources Defense Council, New York, N.Y.

Tina Noel, +1-317-709-3103 and tinanoelpublicrelations@yahoo.com, for Natural
Resources Defense Council, New York, N.Y.