News from the Winneshiek Solar Fair

News from the Winneshiek Solar Fair

Briana Burke, Logistics Coordinator, Green Iowa AmeriCorps What can save you money, is good for the environment, creates local jobs, and is the future of energy? Solar panels! While that riddle isn’t too hard to figure out, the process of getting solar panels installed on your home can feel like an overwhelming maze. This past Saturday, over 150 people from the tri-state area took the first steps through the maze

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Joel’s Solar Story

Joel’s Solar Story

So. I placed a down payment on solar last month. I’m committing to the largest purchase I’ve ever made (not counting my house). I’ve sat on the fence on this decision for some time because I don’t have the greatest location to install solar on my house. My roof faces west not south, and I have a lot of shading from a big old sycamore tree in my back yard.

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Proposed Bill Will Kill Iowa’s Solar Industry, Trample Iowan’s Energy Freedom

Proposed Bill Will Kill Iowa’s Solar Industry, Trample Iowan’s Energy Freedom

Iowa House Republicans have introduced a long-awaited bill to kill net metering as we know it in Iowa. The bill was apparently drafted by MidAmerican Energy and will likely be supported by Alliant Energy, as both have aggressively attempted to overturn net metering in the past. Read the details below, and ask your Iowa Representative and Senator for a clear statement in opposition to HSB 185. Attend their weekend listening

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WANTED: Owner-Occupied Homes for Free Energy Assessments

WANTED: Owner-Occupied Homes for Free Energy Assessments

Kristin Eggen, Communications Specialist Partnership is a beautiful thing. The Regional Housing Trust Fund (RHTF) partners with the Winneshiek Energy District to bring qualifying homeowners in Northeast Iowa FREE home energy assessments. Do you know of an owner-occupied, single family home with an annual income of less than $50,450?  You can help them save money and decrease the home’s carbon footprint. Have them call our office today to schedule an RHTF-sponsored energy assessment. It will save them money, help

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Localism, Energy, and Very Fast Fiber!

Localism, Energy, and Very Fast Fiber!

Want to cast a vote right now – this very minute – for a healthy, prosperous, and innovative Decorah? For locally-owned, super-fast, highly-reliable, unlimited, and affordable internet? Stop what you’re doing, go to http://www.ourbroadbandfuture.com/decorah.html, and take the Decorah Fiber Pledge for your household or business. (We’ll get to the energy connection soon, but first take the pledge, then keep reading!) In 2015, the Decorah community overwhelmingly voted YES (94%) to

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RECYCLE YOUR E-WASTE THIS WEDNESDAY

RECYCLE YOUR E-WASTE THIS WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday, July 25th from 3-6PM recycle your old small electronic devices at the Winneshiek Farmers Market and help endangered species at the same time. At a glance: Where: Winneshiek Farmers Market, Oneota Co-op Parking lot, Decorah When: Wedensday, July 25th, 3:00-6:00PM What:  Accepted items: old cell phones, chargers, iPods/MP3 players, and headphones. Participants will help conserve wildlife by reducing the need for mining and human interference by donating old cell phones, chargers, iPods/MP3

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Proposed Cuts to Energy Efficiency Program Will Affect Rebate Levels

Joel Zook, Energy Planner Some Rebates Will Be Eliminated Completely If you’ve considered making any upgrades to improve the energy efficiency of your home or business, you may want to act now while rebates still exist to help lower the cost. SF2311 was passed this legislative year and mandates a dramatic cut in Alliant Energy and Black Hills Energy’s energy efficiency programs. Insulation, air sealing and other rebates are being

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Decorah City Council Members Announce Public Forum related to Electric Utility Franchise Agreement

Decorah City Council Members Announce Public Forum related to Electric Utility Franchise Agreement

For Immediate Release Contact: Chad Bird, City of Decorah, City Manager, 563-382-3651 Decorah City Council Members Announce Public Forum related to Electric Utility Franchise Agreement Decorah, IA (June 26, 2018) – Decorah City Council members, led by utility committee chair, Andy Carlson have scheduled Saturday, June 30, 2018, for an informational meeting to interact with the public on issues surrounding the renewal of the city’s franchise agreement with Alliant Energy.

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Now is the Time to (re)Consider Solar

Now is the Time to (re)Consider Solar

Joel Zook, Energy Planner I am taking another hard look at solar panels for my home. My roof is not an ideal site for solar; It faces west and is heavily shaded through most of the morning. I ran the numbers shortly after buying my house and the payback was longer than I was willing to commit to. However, it’s been a few years and prices continue to fall. Additionally,

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Energy Efficiency: Act Now or Lose $$$

Andy Johnson, Executive Director Have energy efficiency projects been on your should-do list for a long time, but not quite made the HONEY-DO list? Consider acting now to take full advantage of financial incentives, because many of those incentives will not be available come January 1, 2018. How do we know this? The utility lobby – especially Alliant and MidAmerican – designed, fought for and won passage of a “Christmas

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