Support of a Reasonable Transition to Cleaner Sources of Energy for South Bend

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Exhibit A. Cleaner Energy in South Bend Significant momentum towards cleaner energy has been developing in South Bend. For example: • Solar photovoltaic panels have been installed with grant funds at the South Bend Century Center, South Bend Mutual Homes and Near Northwest Neighborhood.' • At least six faith communities in South Bend have installed or are planning to install solar panels with grant funds to reduce their energy costs and better care for the Earth, including the First United Methodist Church, Islamic Society of Michiana, Kern Road Mennonite Church, Olivet AME Church, St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church and First Unitarian Church.2 • Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, announced on September 21, 2015, that the University will cease burning coal entirely within five years by relying on energy efficiency, renewable energy, geothermal, and lower- carbon natural gas, and will cut its carbon footprint by more than half by 2030.3 • The South Bend Century Center expects to save $1.5 million over 15 years by installing solar panels, LED lighting, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, and a cool roof 4 • Inovateus Solar has grown from a local start-up company to a "Top 100" solar installer, still based here in South Bend, with over 200 megawatts (MW) installed around the world.5 B. Impacts o f High Utility Costs Council recognizes that utility costs can be a burden to many families, including the 27.8 %6 of South Bend residents that live at or below the poverty line. For example, Real Services provided winter heating assistance to 9,432 families and summer cooling assistance to 9,202 families in its Northern Indiana service area in 2015. South Bend currently enjoys low electricity rates but costs are expected to increase for several reasons, one being our utility's need to invest in pollution controls and other infrastructure improvements. Council sees potential for local investments in demand -side management (including energy efficiency) and distributed generation (including renewable energy), to benefit the South Bend economy while reducing energy use and making it easier for residents to afford their electric bills. 8,9 C. I &M Progress on Clean Energy and Stakeholder Engagement ' http:// www .iaced.org /wp- content/uploads/ 2015 /07/ South - Bend - SUN - Solar- Awards.pdf Z http:/ /www.southbendtribune.com / news /local/ south - bend - congregations- turn - skyward -to- conserve - energy /article 732c968d -b43f- 59ae- babd- ac8e079ebbaa.htm1 3 http: / /news.nd.edu/ news /61083- notre- dame - goal -no -coal/ 4 https:Hdowntownsouthbend.com /century- center - surges- ahead - multi - million - dollar - energy- savings - project 5 http:/ /www.solarpowerworldonline.com/ 2016 - top- 500 - north - american- solar - contractors/ 6 US Census Bureau American Community Survey, http: / /www. census. gov/ cluickfacts /table/[PE120214/1871000 7 https: / /www.realservices.org/ wp /wp- content/uploads/ 2016 /04 /2015- Northem- Indiana.odf (page 11) 8 http: / /energy.gov/ sites /prod /files /2016 /05 /f31 /Factsheet -EE Savings and Benefits.pdf 9 http: / /www.thesolarfoundation.org /national/