Legislature Nixes Solar Tax Credit; Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Calls on Governor to Keep Iowa’s Promise to Waitlisted Solar Owners

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,

Read More

Watts Cooking?

Martin Donovan, Green Iowa Americorps When you’re cooking up ways to increase the efficiency of your home, upgrading your stove to an induction cooktop could be a fun and useful thing to consider. Unlike electric or gas cooktops, induction burners directly heat pots and pans. But what does direct heat actually mean? When cooking with electric stoves, a lot of energy is used to heat metal coils which then heats

Read More

Clock is Ticking: Contact Your Legislators Today on HF221

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

Read More

Applications for the Green Iowa Program Open!

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  

First Step Home Audit Signups Re-open for Vaccinated Families

Is every member of your household fully vaccinated against Covid-19? If so, the Green Iowa Americorps team is excited to offer you a First Step Home Energy Audit! Call our office (563) 382-4207 to schedule your appointment.  We will require all applicants to complete and sign a form listing all members of a household and providing their dates and types of vaccination. An audit will be scheduled no sooner than

Read More

Howard County Virtual Clean Energy Tour April 1st

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”

Read More

WED Wins Midwest Energy Efficiency Award

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.

Read More

Action Alert Update: Iowa’s Solar Tax Credit, Natural Gas Protectionism

Andy Johnson, Executive Director Iowa’s solar tax credit has been critical to the growth of locally-owned solar in Winneshiek County and throughout Iowa. Thanks to oversubscription and linkage with a phasing out federal credit, its future is in jeopardy. House File 221 would pay down the wait list, raise the annual cap, and decouple from the federal credit, and needs your support! This Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association page is an excellent resource

Read More

Electric Pickup Trucks are Here

by Matt Staver, Green Iowa Americorps 2021 may be an important year for electric vehicles. The first consumer electric pickup trucks are set to hit the market later this year. This is big news for Iowa, where trucks are the best-selling vehicle by far.  In this article, I have curated a list of electric trucks that are set to be released in 2021 or 2022, and what we know about

Read More