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Iowa Needs Renewables, and Renewables Need Transmission

July 30, 2021

This message was central to comments submitted by the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa in a new investigative docket on transmission opened by the Iowa Utilities Board, , INU-2021-0001. Unfortunately, we are seeing growing headwinds …

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Black Hills Rate Case: What You Need to Know Now

July 29, 2021

By Joel Zook, Energy Planner, and Andy Johnson, Executive Director On June 1, 2021 Black Hill Energy filed a rate increase request with the Iowa Utilities Board. Black Hills serves approximately 4,300 customers in Winneshiek …

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What Happens in Texas… Doesn’t Stay in Texas: Iowa Customers Set to See Higher Natural Gas Bills

June 28, 2021

By Joel Zook The Polar Vortex of 2021 wasan anomaly compared to normal years.The polar vortex is far above the polar jet stream in the stratosphere and typically doesn’t interact with it. When the polar …

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Energy Lunch Recap: SOO Green Line

June 28, 2021

Written by Max WalkerThe Winneshiek Energy District held an energy lunch for a presentation on the SOO Green High Voltage Direct Current Link, or SOO Green Line. The SOO Green Line is an electrical transmission …

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Legislature Nixes Solar Tax Credit; Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Calls on Governor to Keep Iowa’s Promise to Waitlisted Solar Owners

May 25, 2021

The Iowa Legislature failed to extend Iowa’s solar tax credits during the 2021 session. The immediate impact is an expiration of the Iowa credit at the end of 2021. Hundreds of existing solar owners on …

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Clock is Ticking: Contact Your Legislators Today on HF221

April 8, 2021

From our friends at Iowa Solar Solar Energy Trade AssociationWith the legislative session scheduled to end April 30th, it’s crucial House File 221 starts to move through the process before time runs out. HF221 would …

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Action Alert Update: Iowa’s Solar Tax Credit, Natural Gas Protectionism

March 31, 2021

Andy Johnson, Executive Director Iowa’s solar tax credit has been critical to the growth of locally-owned solar in Winneshiek County and throughout Iowa. Thanks to oversubscription and linkage with a phasing out federal credit, its …

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February Newsletter Briefs

March 5, 2021

Action Alert: Save Iowa’s Solar Tax Credit; then Stop Natural Gas ProtectionismAndy Johnson, Executive Director Iowa’s solar tax credit has been critical to the growth of locally-owned solar in Winneshiek County and throughout Iowa. Thanks …

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In Defense of Net Metering (Continued!)

October 27, 2020

Andy Johnson, Executive DirectorIn March, the Iowa Legislature passed SF 583, meant to codify net metering and support customer-owned solar in Iowa for years to come. In July, Alliant and MidAmerican submitted tariffs to the …

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Policy Updates Discussed During July’s Energy Lunch

July 27, 2020

July’s Energy Lunch featured an environmental policy panel consisting of Kerri Johannsen, of the Iowa Environmental Council; Steve Falck, of the Environmental Policy & Law Center; and our own Andy Johnson. The panelists covered a …

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2020 Alliant Residential Rebates

July 27, 2020

Joel Zook, Energy PlannerAlliant Energy has doubled the amount of their residential rebates and dramatically increased the rebate amount for their small business lighting rebate program. The increased rebate levels are only good through the …

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Iowa’s Net Metering Saga Continues

July 27, 2020

Remember March, before the world turned upside down? It was actually a remarkable month for clean energy in Iowa. The Legislature unanimously passed SF 583, which codified net metering for Iowa’s investor owned utilities until …

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Tax Credits – Not Just Solar

June 24, 2020

by Joel Zook, Energy Planner We’ve talked a lot here at the energy district about the phase out of the solar tax credits, but it’s important to know that there are other tax credits for …

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FERC and the War on Net Metering

June 17, 2020

By Andy Johnson, Executive DirectorThere is growing interest in what’s happening at the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) around net metering for customer-owned solar. We introduced the topic last issue, and provided a resource page …

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Net Metering is Iowa Law!

March 26, 2020

Now is a great time to install solar for most farm, home, and business owners in Iowa. After many years of policy battles at the Utilities Board and Legislature, Iowa’s solar advocacy community “? including …

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