A Clean Energy District is a local institution created to strengthen communities by leading, implementing and accelerating the locally owned clean energy transition. Fair access to locally owned clean energy is a win-win generating community-wide energy prosperity and climate stewardship, and a network of Energy Districts spreads this powerful combination throughout Iowa and beyond.
Download our concept document A Geography of Change (PDF). Or read it online at Issuu here or by clicking the image below.
- Local leadership exists everywhere. Energy Districts empower local champions to lead the clean energy transition.
- Energy is complicated, so Energy Districts lead by doing. Energy Districts put boots on the ground providing technical assistance with high quality energy audit services, direct installation of energy saving measures and providing high quality advanced energy planning services.
- Communities unite and thrive when green clean energy prosperity meets green climate stewardship. Locally owned energy efficiency and renewables create jobs, retain wealth, and build energy prosperity (one green), and simultaneously advance climate stewardship (another green). Ownership matters.
- Energy Districts are INCLUSIVE, and UNIVERSAL REPLICATION is fully possible. We all do better when we all do better, and the clean energy future will happen of, by, and for the people.
- ENERGY PLANNING is energy auditing that WORKS! It includes efficiency and renewable energy, and should be available to every farm, home, business, and institution.
- PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT is that broad swath of education, awareness, and communications, leveraging other work.
- MARKET TRANSFORMATION tunes up all cylinders of the local clean energy economy for smooth acceleration that supports contractors and businesses, creates good jobs, and keeps growing energy dollars local.
- ADVOCACY priorities at the state and local levels grow out of and support boots-on-the-ground implementation work.
- READINESS is also known as climate preparedness, or adaptation, and must be a community-wide and ongoing process for a generation or more.
- Within communities, across the lines that divide us, toward a common future of prosperity and stewardship;
- Between communities and counties, all working towards the common goals of a locally owned clean energy transition; and
- Between local, state, and federal policymakers and agencies, putting the boots on the ground to get the work done!
Case Study
Winneshiek County, Iowa
Winneshiek County, in far northeast Iowa, is home to the nation’s first Clean Energy District. Since its inception in 2010, Winneshiek Energy District has led transformation of its local energy economy resulting in:
- More than $14M in energy efficiency and renewable energy investment to date
- More than 100 jobs created or retained
- More than 100,000 tons of carbon emissions reduced
- Community wide identity with climate stewardship and energy prosperity
The opportunity to invest in locally-owned clean energy throughout Iowa exceeds $50 billion over the coming generation. This investment can keep billions in energy dollars local year after year, retaining wealth and creating jobs and prosperity in every single Iowa community.
Energy Districts make the clean energy transition happen for everyone.