A look into the state of hybrid energy in Ind.

In a visit to Allison Transmission during Indianapolis Friday, May 6, President Barack Obama strongly encouraged the increased development of hybrid energy technology across the country.

He insisted that the development of hybrid technology could reduce the United States’ dependence on foreign oil, provide for a cleaner environment and create jobs in the midst of a recession.

Obama stated a target of reducing the amount of imported oil by one-third by the middle of the next decade. Discrediting proponents of domestic oil drilling, Obama said the United States has two to three percent of the world’s oil reserves but uses 25 percent of the world’s oil.

So where does Indiana fit into this plan to reduce our dependence on oil as an energy source? How much progress have we made when it comes to alternative and hybrid energy sources?

WIND AND SOLAR
Indiana has one of the highest potentials for wind power for a state of its size.
In particular, a large portion of the mostly flat north central portion of the state has average annual wind speeds of approximately 7.5 meters per second at 80 meters above ground, the height that is often used to determine wind energy potential.

Indiana currently has an installed wind energy capacity — the amount of energy that can be acquired using existing wind turbines — of approximately 1,340 megawatts (MW) per year, making it the fourth largest producer of wind energy in the Midwest, according to the US Department of Energy.

This is, however, far below its estimated potential of 40,000 MW from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. It would be enough to provide all or most of Indiana’s electricity needs, according to the Laboratory.

Indiana has seven wind farms that produce more than 100 MW and several that produce less than 100 MW. Each 1000 MW of wind energy that is produced in Indiana will eliminate 3.1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and about 1,600 gallons of water, according to the US Department of Energy.

Indiana’s potential for solar energy is rather low. The state ranks toward the bottom in terms of how much sunlight it gets per year.

HYBRID MANUFACTURING

However, Indiana has become a leader in the development of hybrid energy technology for automobiles. Allison Transmission is a national leader in the development of new hybrid technology, including a hybrid diesel-electric drive system for buses.

The new transmission has proven to be extremely effective at reducing emissions, increasing fuel efficiency and improving acceleration.

This technology, called electric drive, has been shown to reduce particulate emissions by 90 percent and increase acceleration by 50 percent in buses.

President Obama touted the ability of companies like Allison Transmission to create jobs, simultaneously helping the economy and reducing our impact on the environment by reducing our carbon emissions.

“Last month, you added 50 jobs at this company, and I hear you plan to add another 200 over the next two years,” Obama said during his visit. President Obama has also said in the past that he plans to “green the federal fleet” by making the purchasing of hybrid and electric vehicles for Federal government agencies a major priority. “You’re going to have customers in the United States Government,” Obama said during his trip to Allison.

— Vince Zito and Zach Ammerman contributed to this report