By Max Walker, Green Iowa Americorps member In last week’s energy lunch, Winneshiek Energy District’s energy planner, Joel Zook, covered the possibility of mitigating the severity of climate change through home electrification. There are two other major steps that must happen alongside home electrification if we are to reduce our environmental impact in a meaningful way. First, we need to transition our methods of producing electricity to renewable energy. This
By Joel Zook The Polar Vortex of 2021 was an 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 vortex is strong and stable, the polar jet stream below it stays farther north and keeps cold air contained over the Arctic. Every few years the polar vortex dramatically weakens, and can even be pushed off
Winneshiek Energy District is excited to trial a limited number of First-Step Electrification Assessments and In-depth Electrification Audits in collaboration with Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative and MiEnergy, with funding from the Beneficial Electrification League. Customers of Allamakee-Clayton and MiEnergy qualify for a free service from our team! The First-Step Electrification Assessments will include all the elements of a standard Home Energy Assessment. This includes a whole home lighting upgrade to high
Written by Max Walker The Winneshiek Energy District held an energy lunch for a presentation on the SOO Green High Voltage Direct Current Link, or SOO Green Line. The SOO Green Line is an electrical transmission line that will travel from Mason City, Iowa to Plano, Illinois. This transmission line will connect two of the primary renewable energy markets of the Midwest. The broad goal of the project is to
By Jim Fritz I was a sophomore in high school for the first Earth Day. We had a whole day devoted to it with speakers, activities, etc. Our biology teacher (I nearly became a biology teacher because of him) was the spearhead. It changed me. Later my dad and I made a passive solar hot air collector from beer cans spray painted black. It worked pretty well! I designed an
Andy Johnson, Executive Director 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 the tax credit waitlist are also set to lose their promised credit. Solar advocates statewide had supported House File 221, which was introduced early in the session, passed out of subcommittee,
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, pay down the waitlist and raise the program cap. If no action is taken, thousands of Iowa farmers, homeowners and small businesses on the tax credit waitlist will
Join the Winneshiek Energy District’s Green Iowa Americorps team! Applications are now open for both summer and full 11 month terms. WED Americorps members provide valuable energy efficiency services to households in our community, create and facilitate family programing, remove invasive species from our community parks, and much more! Click here to apply for the program! Questions about serving at WED? Email Heidi Eger, heidi@energydistrict.org
Register now for Howard County Energy District’s virtual energy tour, taking place Thursday April 1st (no fooling!), 7:00 to 8:15pm. “Join us to hear four great, local stories” said HCED board chair Amy Bouska. “Learn how solar helps save money (Hvitved residence), renewable geothermal energy creates jobs (Geothermal Eco Options), improved energy efficiency helps local businesses (Leutholds), and why the local Extension office just entered into a “solar power purchase agreement”
Winneshiek Energy District and Executive Director Andy Johnson have received the 2021 Inspiring Efficiency Leadership Award from the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance! “This is a tremendous honor for the entire Energy District movement, and absolutely a group leadership award”, said Johnson. “Energy Districts are all about local leadership for a just, prosperous, and locally-owned clean energy future. Leaders build organizations, put boots on the ground, and keep wealth in pocketbooks and communities.