Alliant Rate Case Round-up

Andy Johnson, Executive Director, Winneshiek Energy District The Iowa Utilities Board has issued a final ruling on the recent Alliant Energy electric rate increase. The Energy District joined the City of Decorah, Luther College, Winneshiek Medical Center, and Aase Haugen Senior Services in forming the Decorah Area Group (DAG). DAG submitted extensive testimony in opposition to the rate increase, and in support of locally-owned energy efficiency and solar rights. DAG’s

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Five Feet High and Risin’

Andy Johnson, Executive Director, Winneshiek Energy District How high’s the water, mama? Two feet high and risin’ How high’s the water, papa? She said it’s two feet high and risin’ We can make it to the road in a homemade boat That’s the only thing we got left that’ll float It’s already over all the wheat and oats, Two feet high and risin’ Johnny Cash was no stranger to hard

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Iowa Utility Board rules on Alliant rate case

The Utilities Board issued its Final Decision and Order and News Release late last week. Below is the initial statement from the Decorah Area Group, of which WED was a key organizer and partner. We will be developing and sharing more detailed analysis in the near future, so stay tuned! Statement from the Decorah Area Group: The Board’s final ruling in the Alliant rate case was a powerful statement on

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In a sea of technical innovation, WED brings cultural innovation to VERGE19

In a sea of technical innovation, WED brings cultural innovation to VERGE19

Kristin Eggen, Communications Specialist, Winneshiek Energy District December 31, 2019 Shippable Solar kits for faraway lands? Snacks from the byproduct of beer-making? Carbon accounting apps? Yes, these all exist and were showcased at the GreenBIZ VERGE19 conference, in addition to dozens of industry experts from around the country. My colleague Joel Zook and I had the privilege to attend VERGE19 in Oakland, CA October 22-24 with support from the Solutions

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Green Iowa AmeriCorps: “The coolest thing I’ve done so far…”

Green Iowa AmeriCorps: “The coolest thing I’ve done so far…”

Briana Burke, Green Iowa AmeriCorps   When asked, “What’s the coolest thing you’ve done so far during your term?”, my mind is filled with images of changing light bulbs during energy assessments, kids excited about a game during an education event and sitting in a room full of people attending an energy breakfast. Actually, these moments may not sound very cool out loud, but these fond memories include rewarding work,

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Decorah’s Sustainability Committee Releases Draft Sustainability Plan

The Winneshiek Energy District recognizes and applauds the process the city is going through to craft a comprehensive sustainability plan. We have been contributing to the energy portion of this plan and believe that this tool will help propel the community of Decorah toward a more sustainable future.  Decorah IA (December 17, 2019) – The City of Decorah has posted a DRAFT of the City  Sustainability Plan 2020 for public

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LED Holiday Lights

LED Holiday Lights

This article is an excerpt from the Department of Energy’s page on LED lighting. We love how it takes into account the longevity of an LED strand and lays out the math of electrical use. LED Holiday Lights LEDs consume far less electricity than incandescent bulbs, and decorative LED light strings such as Christmas tree lights are no different. Not only do LED holiday lights consume less electricity, they also

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We are hiring!

Check out these two opportunities to work with local, clean energy! Communications position announcement Nov2019 West Union Position Annoucement Learn more on our Jobs page

Repost: What are municipal utilities and why are they suddenly popular?

Repost: What are municipal utilities and why are they suddenly popular?

Can changing who delivers your electricity to you solve a slew of problems? SCOTTY HENDRICKS (A Decorah native!) 26 November 2019 Repost from Bigthink.com   Cities and movements across the country are considering running their own electric utilities. These operations, known as municipal utilities, are already widespread and have a respectable track record. Representatives of the campaigns to implement municipal control see this as a path to a green, democratic

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Giving thanks for our partners

Tis the season to give thanks! Here at the Winneshiek Energy District, we have deep, deep gratitude for countless community partners who are also working toward a clean, local, energy future for Winneshiek County and beyond. NEIA Energy Districts I’ll never forget the time a professor shouted at my group “stop acting like a bunch of trees and start acting like a forest!” We all knew what that meant: ditch

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