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

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

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

Action Alert: Iowa Homeowners Set To Lose Millions In Promised Solar Tax Credits

October 28, 2021

Andy Johnson, Executive DirectorFor years, Iowa homeowners have been told the state’s solar tax credit is available for solar systems installed through 2021. Now it appears the State of Iowa is about to break that …

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

Here Comes the Sun: Solar Friendly Ordinances

October 27, 2021

by Joel Zook, WED Energy Planner Joel Zook recently participated in Here Comes the Sun: Solar Friendly Ordinances for communities, a webinar to help communities think through how to best zone for solar. As more …

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

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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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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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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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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Award will Improve Efficiency in two Decorah Apartment Buildings

May 18, 2020

DECORAH – With help from the Winneshiek Energy District and Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission, the City of Decorah applied for $233,638 from the Iowa Development Authority’s Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. 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.

Decorah’s Sustainability Committee Releases Draft Sustainability Plan

December 11, 2019

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 …

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USDA Grant Opportunities for Clean Energy

September 3, 2019

Are you a farm or small business owner looking for support for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements? Or perhaps you’re simply curious about programs available to support rural communities? If so, September’s Energy Breakfast …

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

Cedar Rapids Sustainability Coordinator Plans Visit to Decorah

December 20, 2018

You are invited to Eric Holthaus, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Cedar Rapids, to learn about Cedar Rapids’ sustainability initiatives. Holthaus will be the featured speaker at Energy Breakfast, Tuesday, January 15th at 7:30 …

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Iowa Clean Energy Policy Update

November 26, 2018

Andy Johnson, Director  OK we’re past the mid-terms, what is the picture for clean energy policy in Iowa? Not great, frankly, but here are two priorities we can all “? whatever your ideology “? get …

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Lights & Water Kickoff Churns Local Economic and Environmental Benefits in Guttenberg

November 20, 2018

In early November, the City of Guttenberg, the Clayton County Energy District’s (CCED) and local landlord’s Isaac Eulberg and Gary Willman completed their lights and water direct install kick off the project. Consistent with the …

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