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Solar Resources for Local Governments

July 2, 2022

Solar PV can be a solid financial decision for your taxpayers, a critical kick-start to a local solar market, and an important leadership statement.  This page is meant to consolidate resources relevant to local governments …

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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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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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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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School Districts: Apply NOW for Electric Bus Funding

June 1, 2022

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed in late 2021, and the Biden administration released a valuableRural Playbookto help rural America identify and access funding opportunities. The BIL will bring major investment in many aspects of …

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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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Green Iowa Americorps Team Offers Free Tree Seedlings

March 23, 2022

In partnership with Winneshiek Energy District members, Kevin and Leslie Sand, our Green Iowa Americorps team created the Tiny Trees Initiative to make Decorah a little greener and help reduce the energy bills of Decorah …

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Empowering Allamakee County

March 2, 2022

Jim Martin-Schramm, WED Board MemberThe Winneshiek Energy District (WED) recently received a modest grant from the Solutions Project to help Allamakee County manage impacts related to Alliant Energy’s decision to close the Lansing Generating Station …

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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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Energy Bills Rising: Alliant

February 28, 2022

We’ve been asked recently why Alliant electric bills seem to keep rising, despite the fact that the last rate case was in 2019 (with the final order approving the rate hike in early 2020). The …

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EV Q&A with Kelly Bachelder from KAR Auto Group in Decorah

January 31, 2022

Joel Zook, Energy PlannerKAR Auto group owns Decorah Auto Center (Ford and Lincoln), Decorah Chevrolet, Decorah Chrysler, and Albertson Auto Group (in Spillville). A lot has happened over the past year with electric vehicles. Are …

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Green Iowa Americorps Team Update

January 31, 2022

This year’s GIA team is small but mighty! Max has been working with WED since June and Maddi joined us in December. Since the start of their terms, the team has been completing energy efficiency …

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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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