Gazette series on renewable energy concludes Sunday, April 11

The Gazette wraps up on Sunday, April 11, a four-part series launched March 21 about Iowa's renewable energy and conservation efforts. Business reporters George C. Ford and Dave DeWitte did the work on the series.

Dave reports in Sunday's final installment that a boom Iowa had been enjoying in renewable fuels production has slowed down dramatically.

I am writing in my regular Sunday Gazette column about how Iowa does far more than other states when it comes to renewable energy.

It is a leader nationwide in ethanol, biodiesel and wind energy production. Also, one of every seven Iowans relies on wind-generated power now, according to figures from last year that the American Wind Energy Association reported Thursday, April 8. That leads the nation.

Iowa also has the most wind power manufacturing jobs in the nation, the report showed.

The Gazette will have a lot of coverage of renewal energy issues and trends this coming year because people increasingly are interested in it.

One area non-profit resource for training that I'll mention in my Sunday column is is the Iowa City-based Iowa Renewable Energy Association. Supported by dues-paying members, it is a non-profit organization using regularly scheduled workshops at the Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids to train people on how to use renewable energy. It also lobbies for policies that encourage renewable energy development.

A schedule of its programs can be found at its Web site. Hit the link above.

Meanwhile, the Iowa Energy Center at Iowa State University promotes renewable energy and energy conservation. It provides grants, using money from gas and electric utilities in Iowa, ti communities, businesses and individuals and awards scholarships to Iowa high school students who create worthwhile projects.

The center's Web site is http://www.energy.iastate.edu 

Here is another link, to the industry supported American Petroleum Institute, for its perspective.

Be sure to check out the series in the Sunday paper. It will lead the Money section.