Choosing a Solar Contractor

July 2, 2025

Get at least two Bids Start local, but get at least two, possibly more, bids for your project so you can compare quotes, recommendations, and ask for clarifications. Contractors are busy and may not be …

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CEDI offers Assistance to Farms & Small Businesses to Apply for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Grants

May 8, 2025

Clean Energy Districts of Iowa (CEDI), a nonprofit consortium of Energy Districts based in 14 counties in Iowa, is offering free energy coaching to assist farms and small businesses in applying for USDA grant funding …

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Free Energy Coaching Available for Farms and Small Businesses

August 27, 2024

Clean Energy Districts of Iowa (CEDI), a nonprofit consortium of Energy Districts based in 13 counties in Iowa, is offering free energy coaching to assist farms and small businesses in applying for USDA grant funding …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

Decorah Businesses Encouraged to Utilize Energy Efficiency Programs

May 23, 2023

Decorah Businesses Encouraged to Utilize Energy Efficiency ProgramsBy Jim Martin-Schramm, Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Policy Analyst According to a study completed in 2020, the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in the City of …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

Solar Suitability Rating High Throughout Iowa

November 3, 2022

Andy Johnson, Executive DirectorIt is abundantly clear that we need more large-scale solar (and storage) to complement the high penetration of large-scale wind in Iowa and promote a cleaner and more reliable grid. Yet the …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

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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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

Solar in 2021

October 27, 2020

by Joel Zook, Energy Planner 2021 is going to be another exciting year for solar. It’s a big deal that federal tax credits have been extended, net-metering laws are in place for Iowa’s investor-owned utilities …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

Webinar: Clean Energy and Conservation

September 30, 2020

Cody Smith, Policy Associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, works on midwest policies that help amplify the positive effects of clean energy.There are many opportunity to combine clean, renewable energy infrastructure with beneficial habitat …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

June’s Energy Lunch: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture in Iowa

June 22, 2020

By Colin Weber, Green Iowa MemberOn June 23rd, Dr. Dennis Todey, director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub, gave a presentation entitled “The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture in Iowa” for the Winneshiek Energy …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

It’s Still a Good Time to Go Solar

May 8, 2020

By Joel Zook, Energy Planner These truly are unprecedented times. With the partial shutdown of our economy that is now slowly crawling back, it’s hard to know what the “new normal” will look like. We …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

New Program for Farms and Small Businesses

March 27, 2020

Joel Zook, Energy Planner New Funding Available for Farms and Small Businesses Luther College’s Center for Sustainable Communities has received USDA funding to provide energy audits through the Winneshiek Energy District (WED) to small businesses …

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Energy Burden in Rural America

October 23, 2019

Joel Zook, Energy Planner The ACEEE article shared in this newsletter shows that rural American households are one-third more likely to be energy burdened than the average US household. There are several ways to calculate …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

Solar, Geothermal, and Electric Vehicle Tax Credits

September 27, 2019

Joel Zook, Energy Planner Below is an overview of 2019 tax credits that may help make your next solar, geothermal, or electric vehicle purchase possible. Solar If you haven’t already heard 2019 is the last …

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It’s the perfect time to get a Farm Energy Assessment

July 24, 2019

Joel Zook, Energy PlannerFarms are eligible for cost-share dollars for on-farm energy improvements. If you are considering a new grain dryer, or are looking to upgrade lighting, heating or dairy equipment consider an Agricultural Energy …

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Logo for Winneshiek Energy District featuring a stylized town silhouette, a wind turbine, solar panels, and a radiant yellow sky.

Farm Energy Expert Shares Ideas on Efficiency, Renewables

March 28, 2018

Earlier month WED Energy Planner Joel Zook met up with journalist Pam Reinig of the Clayton County Register to talk about farm energy: PR: How many farm energy plans have you conducted? JZ: I’ve done …

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