Oneota Coop Begins Solar Installation
If you see lots of movement on the roof of the Oneota Community Food Co-op in the coming weeks, don’t be surprised.
The Co-op is currently installing a 20,000 watt solar array on the roof of their building located at 312 West Water St. in downtown Decorah. This will be one of the largest downtown solar projects in Decorah and will supply approximately 5% of the Co-op’s electricity in a year. Through a bid process, the Co-op contracted Decorah Electric to install the 80-panel system and expects it to be completed by the end of October and producing electricity.
One of the Co-op’s priorities is that it will be “a business that promotes environmental sustainability” and the rooftop solar project is one of several enhancements to their commitment to sustainable business practices. The Co-op intends to dedicate a section of wall space in their café seating area to a monitor that will show customers and staff how much the system is producing and other information on the solar array and other solar projects in the Decorah area.
The Co-op has also replaced cooler and freezer case lights with LED technology and has added automatic room sensor switches throughout the Co-op. The new LED cooler/freezer case lights will save the Co-op approximately 75% in their lighting cost of the cases.
The Co-op Board and General Manager, David Lester, have been discussing the possibility of a large rooftop solar project for about two years and the timing of the project could not be better according to Lester. Lester stated, “The rebates from Alliant Energy are ending this year and the tax credits from the state of Iowa and the Federal government are excellent are ideal for a system this size, so we decided to fast track this project. We have over 4,200 active members who expect us to be leaders in the community in finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint as a business and further our sustainable business practices.”
In addition to the rebates and tax credits, Co-op members JoAnn and George Hagen have pledged a $16,000 gift towards the solar project. The Hagens commented, “We believe that the climate crisis is occurring. So, we have acted on this by increasing our energy efficiency personally by driving high mileage cars and installing solar panels on our home. We hope others will take seriously the threat to our planet and the quality of life of our children and grandchildren and will support alternative energy projects in our community along with energy conservation such as what the Oneota Community Food Co-op is doing. We feel blessed to live in a community where so many people care, and we hope our contribution will make a positive difference.”
Located in downtown Decorah, Oneota Community Food Co-op is a cooperatively-owned grocery store with over 4,200 members and specializing in organic, local, and sustainably produced products since 1974. For over three decades, the Co-op has been the leading provider of whole foods at a reasonable cost with an emphasis on organic, local and bulk foods. Shop in person at 312 West Water Street in Decorah, or online at www.oneotacoop.com.