Solar Energy

Solar Energy

The Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) participated in the SolSmart program from 2017 to 2021. Since then, MACOG has continued to work with communities to implement solar projects and serve as a resource for policy and permitting-related inquiries.

Resource Archive

INDIANA SOLAR MAP

This interactive map, maintained by the Solar Indiana Renewable Energy Network (SIREN), shows data on solar energy systems installed throughout Indiana, including our region. You can view the data as individual systems or as a heat map, and you can filter by year, utility, and sector. The data is available for download.

Pollinator-Friendly Solar

In 2020, MACOG developed a technical guide to assist land owners, solar developers, and local governments implement pollinator-friendly solar projects. Clean energy projects are a great opportunity to improve the soil over the project's life and incorporate other benefits such as conservation, pollination of crops, decreased stormwater runoff and erosion, and improved natural aesthetics. Version 2 (June 2021) includes the Indiana Scorecard from Purdue. Refer to state law for the latest requirements or incentives for large-scale solar projects related to vegetation. 

Solar Policy and Incentives

Post-Net Metering - Indiana state policy changes in 2017 affected distributed generation, including solar. It phased out net metering for new projects by July 2022 and included a section on customer rights. The Excess Distributed Generation (EDG) tariffs that replaced Net Metering are updated annually. For example the 2023 rates for NIPSCO and Indiana Michigan Power are roughly 8 to 8.5 cents per kWh for all exported kWh, measured instantaneously, up from about 4.5 cents/kWh in 2022. In addition, Indiana Code previously established the right to access solar energy and permits private entities to enter into a solar easement voluntarily to protect access to sunlight for a solar energy system in the future.

Federal Tax Credit - The federal renewable energy tax credits were due to expire but underwent extensive changes under the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020. See the DSIRE links below for the latest updates on available tax credits.

SolSmart Program

MACOG assisted 7 local governments in making it easier, faster and cheaper for residents, businesses and others in our region to go solar through the SolSmart program, funded by the Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. Local governments earned designation in 2017 - 2021. In 2022, MACOG was recognized through the new Regional Organization Pathway for cultivating a solar-friendly region.