More Iowans generating renewable energy

More Iowans are generating their own renewable energy thanks in part to a growing awareness and declining costs.

During the past three years, the number of Alliant Energy customers in Iowa who have added a wind turbine, solar photovoltaic system or other renewable energy generating system onto their home or business and interconnected to the company's electrical grid has grown to 520. There are 136 wind systems installed and 412 solar systems installed.

These customers are able to generate more than 23.3 megawatts of energy for the electrical grid, or power up to 23,000 homes under the proper conditions.

Meanwhile, MidAmerican Energy has 156 customer-owned distributed generation facilities interconnected to its Iowa utility system - about 70 percent are residential customers and 30 percent are commercial/industrial customers.

Customers generate more than 13 megawatts of energy at these facilities interconnected to the MidAmerican electric system.

Both utility companies work with customers through interconnection agreements that ensure a system is installed safely, and that it works together with the existing electric grid. Customers are able to power their homes or businesses and sell unused renewable energy back to the utility company.

'Most people like it because they can reduce their energy bill and make a little extra money,” said Alliant spokesman Justin Foss.

Alliant Energy generates more than 1,200 megawatts of renewable and alternative energy sources, and MidAmerican Energy owns more than 2,450 megawatts of renewable and alternative energy sources.

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