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More Grid Troubles Driven By Coal and Gas Plant Outages

June 23, 2022

We wrote last month about the looming potential for brownouts in the Midwest (the story was picked up by Bleeding Heartland). Our analysis showed that the potential power shortfall in a worst-case summer scenario appeared …

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Cleaner Energy = More Stable Prices and Lower Inflation

June 2, 2022

With energy costs high and rising, fossil fuel execs and some politicians and pundits are claiming we need more domestic oil, coal, and natural gas in order to tame energy cost inflation. This is about …

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A Cleaner Grid is a More Reliable and Resilient Grid

June 2, 2022

Andy Johnson, Executive DirectorThe June 2nd print edition of the Des Moines Register led with the headline “Iowans warned of rolling blackouts”, and utility sources proceeded to make repeated connections between the growth of renewable …

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A Big Waitlist WIN

June 1, 2022

Energy Democracy notched an important success in Iowa this year, as the legislature agreed to fund the Iowa solar tax credit waitlist. (solar homeowners: the deadline to apply is June 30th) The Clean Energy Districts …

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Energy Lunch Recap: Renewable Hydrogen in Iowa

March 2, 2022

by Nicholas Romano, Green Iowa Corps Education Coordinator Ideal Energy A leader in Iowa solar industries since 2009, Ideal Energy has engaged in solar installation, financing, power purchasing agreements, battery storage, and now research into …

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Energy Bills Rising: Black Hills

March 2, 2022

by Joel Zook, Energy Planner We’ve been asked recently why Black Hills natural gas bills are rising and continue to rise when the rate increase was a one-time deal, and was reported to be a …

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State and Federal Policy Updates for 2022

January 31, 2022

Maddi MacDonald, Green Iowa Americorps Logistics Coordinator On January 18th, 2022, Steve Falck from Environmental Law and Policy Center joined Clean Energy District of Iowa’s Executive Director, Andy Johnson to discuss this year’s state and …

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Task Force Asks Utilities Board For Assistance

January 26, 2022

Andy Johnson, Executive DirectorThe City of Decorah’s Municipal Electric Utility Task Force (TF) is charged with a community engagement and learning process, and commissioning a new or updated feasibility study. In order to avoid the …

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Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Joins Settlement Agreement in Black Hills Energy Rate Case

November 26, 2021

Jim Martin-Schramm, Clean Energy Districts of Iowa The Clean Energy Districts of Iowa (CEDI) has agreed to join a settlement agreement regarding a proposal by Black Hills Energy (BHE) to increase natural gas base rates. …

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IUB Clarifies Support For Utility Scale Renewable Energy

October 6, 2021

Andy Johnson, Executive DirectorIn July of this year, the Iowa Utilities Boardopened a docketto investigate the development of a comprehensive plan for Iowa’s future transmission grid. In our August newsletter (and incommentssubmitted by the Clean …

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A Close Look at the Clean Energy Legislation Offered by House

October 6, 2021

Joel Zook, Energy PlannerWe’ve had a lot of people ask us for an update on any possible movement on clean energy at the federallevel. It’s been a busysummer here at WED, and I have not …

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Utilities Board Ordered Honesty from Alliant to Communities

October 6, 2021

In a pair of orders in 2020 (January pp97-106 and October) related to the 2019 Alliant rate increase, the Iowa Utilities Board directed Alliant to develop a stakeholder engagement plan that would “present accurate information …

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Mission Possible: Accelerating Solar 10x In Rural America

October 6, 2021

From Giving CompassPart 4 of a multipart series about Clean Energy Districts. In this article, Jim Osterhaus, Chair of Clayton County Energy District, and Andy Johnson, WED Executive Director discuss the evolution, opportunities, and impact …

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It Is Unequivocal That Human Influence Has Warmed The Atmosphere, Ocean and Land.

September 2, 2021

So reads the first Headline Statement from the most recent, definitive, and ominous IPCC report, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.More: “Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every …

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WED and UERPC Lead Regional Electric Vehicle Collaborative

August 30, 2021

Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future, and the future is coming quickly to Northeast Iowa. Winneshiek Energy District and Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission have teamed up to lead a regional partnership that will accelerate …

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