The collaboration between Iowa State University and Alliant Energy is the first utility-scale agrivoltaics project in the Midwest. Researchers will raise bees and plant vegetables, fruits and pollinator habitat within the 10-acre solar farm.
Iowa’s largest utilities have dramatically scaled back efforts to help customers conserve energy since a 2018 law gutted the state’s efficiency requirements.
MidAmerican Energy reported kilowatt-hour savings
As one of the nation’s leading producers of wind energy, Iowa has abundant — but also sporadic — energy resources. State officials see huge potential for batteries to help make the most of its wind and solar generation, and they hope to test it with a new grant-funded project.
Iowans will lose access to home energy audits, insulation rebates, and light bulb discounts under new five-year efficiency plans proposed by utilities.
The plans, filed with the Iowa Utilities
Despite the Trump Administration’s ardent support of coal over renewable energy, the percentage of U.S. electricity from renewable sources continued its gradual rise in 2017.
One of Iowa’s two major utilities wants to spend – and charge its customers – nearly $1 billion over the next several years to modernize its grid, and advocates want to ensure that money is spent wisely.
