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Solar Incentives and Rebates in Iowa

Peak Sun Hours (PSH): 4
Cost of Grid Power: $0.13/kWh
Number Of Installations: 6,293

What’s the Cost of Solar in Iowa?

Cost of Grid Power

Iowa's electricity prices average $0.13/kWh, just below the national average of $0.14/kWh and holding steady year-over-year.

Cost of a Solar Install

The average cost of a 5.5kW (equivalent to saving about 100 trees a year) solar power system starts around $12,000 in Iowa. That system would pay for itself through energy savings within 6-7 years. System life can span well over 25 years, and savings will improve with inflation.

A State of High Electrical Potential

As the 16th most insolated state un the US, Iowa has the potential to generate over four terawatts of solar energy– enough to exceed the state's current power demands by a factor of 150. The great irony is this is already happening in a biological sense. People tend to think of corn when they think of the Hawkeye State, and like any plant corn absorbs sunlight and stores its energy as sugars. Much of that corn then becomes ethanol, a renewable fuel. On top of that Iowa leads the nation by generating 60% of its energy from wind, which is generated as different cells of air absorb solar power at different rates and thus heat unevenly. So in terms of less direct methods Iowa is basically top dog in the solar world.

Solar Policy in Iowa

Sadly Iowa's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is so unambitious, requiring just 105MW be generated from renewable sources, that the state has far exceeded its goals for several years now thanks to the nearly 5,200 MW generated from wind power.

It's not all doom and gloom. In 2012, the Iowa Economic Development Authority declared Linn County as a Small Wind Innovation Zone (SWIZ) as part of the pilot Iowa Solar Readiness Initiative. Linn county achieved this milestone by amending its zoning standards to improve ease-of-entry for both utility-scale and consumer solar installations.



What Incentives are Available in Iowa?

Data from DSIRE. For more info visit: https://www.dsireusa.org/

Name Implementing Sector Program Type Administrator DSIRE ID
Solar Easements State Solar/Wind Access Policy 27
Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems State Property Tax Incentive Iowa Department of Natural Resources 184
Alternative Energy Law (AEL) State Renewables Portfolio Standard 265
Fuel Mix and Emissions Disclosure State Generation Disclosure 330
Net Metering State Net Metering 488
Interconnection Standards State Interconnection 946
Sales and Use Tax Refund for Renewable Energy State Sales Tax Incentive Iowa Utilities Board 1178
Ames Electric Department - Net Metering Utility Net Metering 2916
IADG Energy Bank Revolving Loan Program State Loan Program Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Area Development Group 5410
Farmers Electric Cooperative - Consumer Renewable Energy Sales Program Utility Feed-in Tariff 5758
Corn Belt Power Cooperative Rebate Program Utility Rebate Program 5835
Independence Municipal Light Plant - Commercial and Industrial Rebate Program Utility Energy Analysis Independence Municipal Light Plant 15167
Butler Rural Electric Cooperative - Security Lights Utility Energy Analysis Butler Rural Electric Cooperative 16306
Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative - Lighting Design Utility Energy Analysis 16315
Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative - Thermography Utility Energy Analysis 16316
Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative - Compressed Air Audits Utility Energy Analysis 16317
Indianola Municipal Utilities - Energy Audit Utility Energy Analysis Indianola Municipal Utilities 16661
Calhoun County Electric Cooperative Association - Building Energy Monitoring Tool Utility Energy Analysis Calhoun County Electric Cooperative Association 16666
Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative - Energy System Audit and Design Utility Energy Analysis 16670
Missouri River Energy Services - Bright Energy Solutions Other Energy Analysis Missouri River Energy Services 18022
Paullina Municipal Utilities - Energy Audit Other Energy Analysis 18197
Cedar Falls Utilities - Energy Audits Other Energy Analysis Cedar Falls Utilities 18396
Cedar Falls Utilities - Assessment Cost-Share Other Energy Analysis Cedar Falls Utilities 18397
Alton Municipal Electric - Compressed Air System Efficiency Audit Other Energy Analysis Alton Municipal Electric 19024
Alton Municipal Electric - Bright Energy Solutions Other Energy Analysis Alton Municipal Electric 19025
Alton Municipal Electric - Specialty Measures for Businesses Other Other 19032
Sioux Center Municipal Utilities - Energy TraK Utility Energy Analysis Sioux Center Municipal Utilities 20033
Alton Municipal Electric - Energy Calculators for Business Other Energy Analysis 20111
Chariton Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc - Green Energy Solutions Utility Other Chariton Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc 20166
Ames Electric Department - Green Choices Utility Other Ames Electric Department 20188
Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative - Green Pricing Utility Other 20254
Pella Municipal Power & Light Dept. - Green Contribution Other Other Pella Municipal Power & Light Dept. 20851
Prairie Energy Cooperative - Questline Utility Energy Analysis Prairie Energy Cooperative 21006
East-Central Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative - Support Iowa Renewables Utility Other East-Central Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative 21072
Seventhwave (formerly Energy Center of Wisconsin) - Energy Consulting Non-Profit Energy Analysis Seventhwave (formerly Energy Center of Wisconsin) 21667
Seventhwave (formerly Energy Center of Wisconsin) - Back of the Envelope Calculator Non-Profit Energy Analysis Seventhwave (formerly Energy Center of Wisconsin) 21668
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance - Midwest Industrial Initiative Non-Profit Energy Analysis Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance 21703
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance - Building Operator Certification Non-Profit Training and Information Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance 21714
Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives - Solar Resources Other Training and Information Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives 22008
Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Resources Other Energy Analysis Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities 22009
Iowa Energy Center - Energy Resource Station (ERS) Other Energy Analysis Iowa Energy Center 22010
Corn Belt Power Cooperative - Commercial and Industrial Loan Program Utility Loan Program Corn Belt Power Cooperative 22099



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