Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Indiana imports coal giving away it's economic potential

$1.14 billion in economic growth potential was taken out of Hoosier land for coal in 2008.  Total cost of  coal burned up for electric generation was $1.29 billion.  ($151 million difference represents the coal mined and burned in state.)
Indiana's residents and businesses gave up local wealth to other states as follows:  $56m Montana, 608m Wyoming, 43m Colorado, 261m Illinois, 89m Kentucky, 139m West Virginia, 89m Pennsylvania, <1m Georgia.
Indiana is the 8th largest importer by weight, 27.7 million ton, spent the 9th most on imports $1.14 billion, spent the 9th most per person $178, 9th most relative to gross state product.
Indiana gets 94% of it's electricity from coal, the most of any state in the union.  The good news is the state has seen some wind farms installed, and could produce 4 times more energy than it needs from wind alone, solar could add at least that much.
More good news is the state has begun an energy efficiency program promoting better devices and appliances and utilities must meet improvement goals over time.  The bad news is the standards are baby-step in strength, and all of these progressive programs are likely to face attack by ALEC shills in the state house.

If the will was there in only a decade this 94% could be cut in half with renewables.  The 500 million cash not burned up could instead pay Indiana's farmers and counties for royalties and fees for clean energy, as well as boost state income tax, and all of this money would be churning around in the villages and towns of Indiana.  I don't think you could find another industry to recruit that delivers 1/2 a billion $ into local pockets rather than funneling it to corporations.  I'm not saying rates go down, I'm saying with wind and solar, a portion of the $1 billion lost out of state for coal could stay in hoosier land.
Hey Sarge, can I find data or what?

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