Post Author's Photographer By Kristin Eggen April 8, 2021

From our friends at Iowa Solar Solar Energy Trade Association

With 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 decouple Iowa’s state tax credit from the federal ITC, paydown the waitlist and raisethe program cap.

If no action is taken,thousands of Iowa farmers, homeowners and small businesses on the tax credit waitlist will lose out on their credit even though they’ve already invested in their project during an eligible year of the program.

Please take a moment to reach out to your legislators, especially if they are on the Ways and Means Committee in the House or Senate (list below). In addition, these four legislative leaders are crucial for the bill to move forward, please let them know we can’t let these Iowans lose out on the credit they are counting on:

Here is a list of upcoming legislative forumswhere your legislators may be present and talking with constituents.

Sample talking points for conversations or emails (click herefor additional info):

  • Please support HF 221 to decouple from the federal credit and establish a state credit, increase funding from $5 million to $10 million and pay down the waitlist.
  • The state credit has leveraged about $7 for every $1 of state investment.
  • The state solar tax credit has also driven solar job growth in Iowa from about 350 jobs in 2015 to almost 900 in 2019.
  • There are 85 Iowa companies in the solar supply chain that range from very small manufacturers to parts to engineering to installers.
  • The waiting list for 2021 credits was $6.77 Million as of December 11, 2020. The state estimates it will be $8-9 Million by the time eligibility closes for the year, sending applicants deep into 2023. That means customers purchasing solar this year will be waiting at least two years to claim a credit, or may never receive a credit at all if the legislature doesn’t decouple it from the federal program.

House Ways & Mean Committee Members:

Senate Ways & Mean Committee Members:

Person with short hair and glasses smiles in front of a sign that reads “INNESHEK ENERGY PROJECT” with a building silhouette and sunburst in the background.

Kristin Eggen

Kristin Eggen first came to the Winneshiek Energy District as a Green Iowa AmeriCorps member in 2015. Eight years later, she is thrilled to lead the grassroots clean energy movement in Winneshiek County. Kristin deeply appreciates rural communities, Northeast Iowa, community sustainability, and nonprofit management. She uses The Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter methodology and graphic recording services to drive strategic conversations around community sustainability, justice, fundraising, and nonprofit health.

Energy Policy

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