March Solar Update

Two critical Iowa solar policies need your support this legislative session: Net Metering and Tax Credits. You can act now: visit our legislator page, then call or email your state Senator and Representative with two simple messages:

1. Keep Iowa’s tax credits in place and raise the caps. The Production Tax Credit (PTC, for larger projects) expires this year and should be extended. The Investment Tax Credit (up-front, for home-farm-business projects) is oversubscribed, as is the PTC, and both could be modestly expanded with small budget impact and LARGE northeast Iowa impact.

2. Leave Net Metering to the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB). The Branstad-appointed IUB has led a 2-year state-wide analysis and determined net metering is a fair policy that should continue for three more years. The Legislature should respect that decision.

You can also refer legislators to the recently released Iowa Energy Plan. The plan was developed through a year-long 2016 process led by Lt. Governor Reynolds that involved dozens of Iowa organizations, and is supportive of both the aforementioned policies.

3. Alliant Net Metering Update: Many of you have followed or even submitted comments to the Iowa Utilities Board’s 2+ year docket on the status of net metering in Iowa. Your Energy District has been integrally involved throughout. The Board has ordered that Alliant and MidAmerican continue net metering for three more years, but we are very concerned that Alliant’s current proposal places artificial caps on solar system sizes eligible for net metering, thus making the investment untenable for many homes, farms, and businesses. You can learn more on this Midwest Energy News article.

Finally, if you have installed a solar system recently but not yet sent in your tax credit application, we suggest you do so immediately. Visit this Iowa Department of Revenue page to learn more, and talk to your installer to check whether they submitted for you.