By MARK HEIRBRANDT
Hamilton County Commissioner
As a lifelong Hoosier, I have dedicated my efforts to ensuring that people and families across the state have the tools to succeed. Community and business leaders across Hamilton County and the state have put in ample time and resources to help shape opportunities that prioritizes Hoosier communities and strengthens our economy – whether through small business, agriculture, sports, the arts and beyond.
Throughout my time as Hamilton County Commissioner, I’ve effectively put innovative solutions in place to rid our state of antiquated processes and become more forward-thinking in how we operate, making the County and the entire state more competitive and efficient. A part of this success comes from my vested interest and support of Indiana’s clean energy industry.
Outside of my scope of work as Commissioner, I have worked for more than two decades in the renewable energy sector for a leading independent provider of comprehensive energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for facilities throughout North America and abroad. My work here focuses mostly in the water and energy efficiency industry which allows me to travel across the state and collaborate with elected officials and facility managers to improve the operations of our Indiana facilities with energy-saving improvements.
These efforts have led to the completion of one of the largest solar energy projects in the state back in 2018, providing a large solar array to the county jail complex to save the county more than $13 million in utility and maintenance costs over the next 25 years. This is the largest solar energy project for a county-owned jail in the state of Indiana. Not only will this cut costs, but it will help us follow through on our commitment to creating a healthier environment and robust economy for generations to come.
Over the years, we have built a strong clean energy sector in Indiana and nationwide, creating 3.3 million American jobs in solar, wind, energy efficiency, clean vehicles and more. Especially during National Clean Energy Week, which Governor Eric Holcomb has recognized with a state proclamation, we can recognize the over 86,000 clean energy workers Indiana alone employs, which has single handedly fostered the resilient environment and economy that we have today.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic thwarted some of the progress made across the clean energy industry – and all industries across the country. Between business closures and layoffs, everyone from farmers to construction workers are struggling to overcome ever-changing challenges and rising operation costs. But if we want to financially and economically recover from the pandemic, we need to build on the momentum made in the clean energy sector that has introduced our state to forward-thinking solutions that drives cost-efficiency and saves everyday Hoosiers money.
By recognizing and encouraging the key industries that fuel our workforce and economy, including clean energy jobs, we will more effectively rebuild a healthy heartbeat for the state. We should act fast to provide funding for infrastructure spending that supports the clean energy industry and workforce in pandemic recovery efforts so that we can keep our promise to families and businesses for a more prosperous and sustainable future. If we can increase the number of clean-energy projects for the state and couple that with continued development of renewable energy plants that brings new sustainability opportunities to existing buildings, we’ll be able to cut costs for all people and families across the state.
After all, there is always more we should be doing to find viable solutions that cut financial burdens for Hoosiers.