SB0176: Agricultural land used for wind or solar energy.

Legislative Summary

Agricultural land used for wind or solar energy. Requires the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) to include in its annual report to the governor and the chairman of the legislative council the following information concerning utility grade wind power devices (devices) and utility grade solar energy facilities (facilities) for each county in Indiana: (1) The total number of devices and facilities installed or under construction. (2) The total generating capacity of the devices and facilities. (3) The county's total land acreage that is occupied by, or otherwise part of a project or development that includes, one or more devices or facilities. (4) Of the occupied acreage, the percentage of that acreage that was assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes: (A) as of the most recent assessment date; or (B) immediately before the commencement of construction of one or more devices or facilities on the land. Requires the IURC to present: (1) the IURC's annual report to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications (committee) before October 1 each year; and (2) the new information required under the bill: (A) before October 1, 2022, to the 21st century energy policy development task force; and (B) before October 1 of each year, to the standing committees of the senate and the house of representatives having subject matter jurisdiction over agricultural matters. Makes conforming amendments to the statute governing the committee's duties to monitor changes and competition in the energy utility industry.