Environmental Law and Policy Center » Iowa

New Interconnection Standards Clear the Way for Clean Energy in Iowa

pgray — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:59:30 +0000

The Iowa Utilities Board has issued final standards for interconnection of wind, solar and other forms of clean energy to the Iowa electric grid. These rules are the culmination of years of advocacy by the Environmental Law & Policy Center and a coalition of clean energy business, agricultural and environmental groups.

Interconnection is the process of linking clean distributed wind power and solar energy sources of electric generation to the grid. The new standards create a clear process for Iowa citizens and utilities to bring their clean energy sources online with standard forms, affordable fees and reasonable insurance requirements. Iowa previously had loose interconnection guidelines that resulted in a complicated patchwork of rules.

The new Iowa standards are built on a model by ELPC in Illinois and South Dakota. The goal is to “facilitate the addition of distributed generation” to the electric distribution system. The rules minimize burdensome insurance requirements and application fees for small systems, and they include standard forms and contracts to streamline and provide transparency to the process.

The Iowa Utilities Board’s Final Order which includes the final interconnection rules, forms and standard agreements is available here: https://efs.iowa.gov/efiling/groups/external/documents/docket/041781.pdf

The Iowa Utilities Board Staff Memo describes the process: https://efs.iowa.gov/efiling/groups/external/documents/docket/041952.pdf

Iowa Citizens Join ELPC to Show Support for Clean Energy and Climate Bill

pgray — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:29:10 +0000

At a public hearing before the Iowa Utilities Board on September 18th, a broad coalition of Iowa citizens called for the Iowa Utilities Board to stand up to utility pressure on climate change. Through previously submitted written comments and personal testimony at a workshop, these citizens made the scientific, economic and personal case for why Congress should pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES).

Several of the groups submitted analyses that showed how Iowa will benefit from clean energy legislation through job growth and income in manufacturing, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Others showed that the moderate costs of the bill are miniscule compared to the threat of global climate change.

As ELPC Senior Attorney Rob Kelter said, “There is so much more at stake here than minor changes in electric rates. Clean energy can be a major driver of economic growth in Iowa, but we have to stand up to the utilities to make it happen.”

Howard Learner in Des Moines Register: Help High-Speed Rail Gain Momentum

pgray — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:04:39 +0000

In an op-ed in the Des Moines Register, ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner writes about the historic developments and growing support that are making high-speed in the U.S. a reality.

He writes that we need cooperation and continued commitment across the region to bring the benefits of high-speed rail to the Midwest.

“ Working together, we can create a win-win-win for our region: good for jobs and our economy, good for the environment, and good for people and our communities. Let’s get on board together and advance smart Midwest high-speed rail development on a fast track.”

Read the full Op-Ed

ELPC’s Iowa Office Opening Focuses Media Attention on Green Economy

pgray — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:20:23 +0000

The opening of ELPC’s new office in Iowa created a stir in the media and focused attention to what Iowa can do to grow the green economy and help solve global warming. Reporters paid extra attention to Iowa’s unique opportunity to use federal stimulus funding to develop fast, convenient rail transportation between Chicago and Des Moines.

Read the text Howard Learner’s interview with Radio Iowa here

Watch WHO-TV’s coverage here

Read Howard Learner’s op-ed in the Des Moines Register here

ELPC’s Howard Learner in the Des Moines Register: Iowa Must Seize Chances to Grow Green Economy

jgeiger — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:05:52 +0000

On the day that ELPC celebrates the opening of its new Iowa office, Executive Director Howard Learner lays out a plan for Iowa’s future in an OpEd in the Des Moines Register. He points out that Iowa is well-positioned to be a leader in the growing green economy, specifically with three major opportunities in energy efficiency, wind power and high-speed rail development.

“Energy, environmental, employment, economic and national-security goals are converging. President Barack Obama and Congress are moving toward realigning our nation to accelerate clean-energy development to create new jobs and achieve significant greenhouse-gas pollution reductions. Clean-energy development is a win-win-win for job creation, economic growth and better environmental quality.”

Read the full OpEd.

Des Moines Register Says Iowa Can Thrive Without Coal, Calls for Better Efficiency

pgray — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:44:18 +0000

In this editorial, the Des Moines register welcomed the decision by Interstate Power and Light to cancel plans for a new coal plant in Marshalltown, Iowa. The editorial rightly points out that coal is the leading cause of global warming pollution and spending huge amounts of money on a new plant would tie Iowa to a dirty and inceasingly expnsive source of energy.

The editors echoed ELPC’s call for the Iowa Utilities Board to require a strong efficiency plan from the utility Investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency will create jobs, save money, reduce pollution and eliminate the need for an expensive new coal plant.

Read the editorial here.

Join Us For Our Iowa Office Opening Reception

elpc — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:29:58 +0000

Join Us For Our Iowa Office Opening Reception

Please join us to celebrate the opening of our new Iowa office on March 11th, 5-7 pm. Our Des Moines office is located in the Historic Insurance Exchange Building at 505 Fifth Avenue on the 3rd Floor.

There will be a brief program featuring ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner and Jim Larew, representing Governor Chet Culver.

RSVP to Andrew Snow at asnow@elpc.org.

WATCH: Iowa Global Warming Campaign’s Weatherization Day of Service Project

elpc — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:11:49 +0000

ELPC’s Iowa Global Warming Campaign took the cue on the national Day of Service held on Martin Luther King’s birthday to help Des Moines families to weatherize their homes. Of course, the crew took along a video camera.

Click here to view the embedded video.

ELPC Helps Iowa Communities Put Together Green Design Plans

jgeiger — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:05:38 +0000

After being devastated by flooding, some Iowa communities looked to ELPC and others to make sustainable design part of their recovery. ELPC sponsored and helped to organize a “green design” workshop on December 11th for three Iowa communities — Waverly, Chariton and Ottumwa — that were either damaged in this spring’s record flooding or want to plan to mitigated harms from future disasters. ELPC worked with the American Institute of Architects, and the Iowa chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council, the American Planning Association and the American Society of Landscape Architects, to convene this event.

The workshop also coincided with a Disaster Recovery Conference organized by the Iowa Department of Economic Development. More than 45 professionals, including architects, engineers, planners and officials from a number of State and Federal agencies volunteered their time to help these community officials map out a sustainable path forward after disaster has struck. Volunteers will continue to be available as resources for these communities as they move to implement re-building plans.

ELPC is Reforming State Policies to Advance Renewable Energy

elpc — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:22:50 +0000

ELPC is working on many fronts to increase the use of less-polluting, energy efficient, and renewable electricity generation. One goal is to reduce reliance on old, dirty, centralized power plants and advance “distributed generation” – literally shifting some generation of electricity to wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, combined heat & power (CHP) systems, and other clean and efficient resources that are distributed across the electric grid and are often sited at a customer’s home or small business.

Interconnection Standards

In order to accomplish this structural shift, state policies must be reformed. Statewide interconnection standards make it easier to connect solar panels, wind turbines and other clean energy systems to the electric grid. These standards streamline the interconnection process by including uniform engineering requirements, reasonable fees and timelines, standard application forms and legal agreements, and “expedited review” for small projects.

Net Metering

Net metering is a special metering and billing agreement between utilities and their customers which allows customers to sell excess electricity back to the grid and gives customers a financial incentive to invest in renewable sources of energy. When a net metering customer’s renewable generator is producing more power than the customer needs, the electric meter runs backward, generating credits. At the end of the billing period, the customer is only charged for the “net” power that they consume.

Model Net Metering and Interconnection Standards

ELPC’s “Model Net Metering and Interconnection Standards for Renewable Energy Systems” were developed with the input of industry experts and reflect recent best practices at the state level. Although the model contains both net metering and interconnection standards, these two parts can be used separately. To make it easier, the Net Metering Standards[pdf file] and Interconnection Standards[pdf file] are also available as two separate documents.

Promoting State Policy Changes

ELPC leads broad coalitions of clean energy advocates and entrepreneurs to promote distributed generation and the necessary state policy changes across the Midwest and Great Plains. ELPC’s advocacy and technical expertise has helped Illinois, Michigan and South Dakota finalize their interconnection standards, and has moved Iowa’s rules toward completion.

In addition to our leadership in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan and South Dakota, ELPC is providing key regional perspective and expertise to support similar projects across the region. We expect our current and future work to significantly reduce existing barriers to distributed generation, which will help diversify electricity generation, provide economic benefits, and encourage the development of efficient and clean sources of power in the Midwest and Great Plains.