Defend clean energy in Iowa

I've lived in Cedar Rapids for nearly 30 years, witnessing how our community has embraced renewable energy despite Iowa's conservative politics. When the 2020 derecho hit us with 130- mph winds, many of us lost power for days. That experience led me to invest in a home with solar panels and, more recently, a battery system to protect me from outages and rising utility prices.

These upgrades weren’t luxuries — they were practical investments in energy independence.

And they were made possible by the 25D Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit, which took 30% off the cost of my battery system.

Without these tax credits, upgrades like mine would be out of reach for most families. I’m not asking for special treatment — just the ability to make smart, economical decisions for my home.

Without the 25D credit for rooftop solar and the 25C credit for energy-efficient HVAC and insulation, only the wealthy could afford these systems. My daughter, who’s raising two young children and building a household, simply couldn’t afford solar without the 30% credit.

Rep. Hinson, I relied on these credits to make my home more resilient. Please don’t pull the ladder up behind me. These are common sense policies that help Iowans save money, strengthen our grid, and support local jobs. Families like mine — and my daughter’s — deserve the same opportunity to take control of their energy future.

Greg Barnett

Hiawatha