Local Energy Independence Act — Plain‑language explainer

Summary: This bill guarantees your right to generate, store, and use your own power. It forces utilities to connect small systems fast, caps junk fees, protects off‑grid and backup systems, and lets farms and neighbors build small community microgrids.

What it does

• Guarantees your right to install: Solar, wind, biomass, CHP, batteries, and safe backup generators—without a utility veto.
• Fast interconnection: 10-day screening, 30-day approval, public hosting-capacity maps, and live queues—no stonewalling.
• Fair credits: Pay you for the power you put back on the grid, with a resilience boost if you have storage.
• Protects off-grid/hybrid: Safe islanding during outages is allowed; you won’t be penalized for having backup.
• Community microgrids: Farms and neighbors can share power across contiguous properties with a standard tariff.
• Cuts red tape and fees: Caps interconnection fees and bans “standby” charges designed to punish small generators.
• Tax relief: Exempts DER equipment from sales tax and gives small businesses/farms faster depreciation; homeowners get a credit.

Why it matters

• Lower bills: Use your own generation first, sell the excess, and stop paying monopoly penalties.
• Resilience: Keep the lights on during outages with safe islanding and backup systems.
• Local control: Put energy decisions back in the hands of families, farms, and small businesses.
• Transparency: Public maps and queues so utilities can’t hide delays, costs, or capacity constraints.

Bottom line: “No Hoosier should have to beg a monopoly for heat and light. Build it, connect it, use it—on your terms.”