Securing Iowa’s energy future is more important than ever

As Iowans and proud members of the American energy workforce, a group of us in the energy industry recently traveled to Capitol Hill with a shared mission: to advocate for Iowa’s energy future. Representing a range of companies and experiences, we came together with one voice and one purpose.

I had the privilege of meeting with Sen. Joni Ernst and Sen. Chuck Grassley, as well as several representatives and their teams. Our discussions were insightful and demonstrated their willingness to listen. We discussed what we witness every day — the positive impact that clean energy projects are having across our communities here in Iowa, and why maintaining strong support for these projects is more important than ever.

Our work on the ground gives us a clear view of what’s happening: electricity demand is growing rapidly, and meeting that demand requires a balanced, all forms of energy strategy. Wind, solar, battery storage, nuclear, and natural gas — all backed by a modern, reliable grid — are essential to keeping Iowa competitive and powering homes, businesses, and farms across the state.

The benefits are already unmistakable: thousands of good-paying jobs, stronger rural economies, and new tax revenues for schools and local services. Today, more than 80,000 energy and manufacturing jobs in Iowa depend on stable, long-term policies that give developers and communities the certainty to invest.

Visiting D.C. wasn’t just about having our voices heard — it was about fulfilling our responsibility to the communities we serve. Iowa is positioned to lead as an energy powerhouse. Turning back now would be a mistake.

I am grateful to my elected leaders for making time to hear directly from those working to build Iowa’s energy future.

Kimberly Dickey is project director at NextEra Energy Resources and an Iowa farmer.