DES MOINES — A coalition of environmental, health, farm and religious groups Wednesday called for setting a clean energy standard by 2020 that would req u i r e 2 0 p e r cent of Iowa’s electricity be generated f r o m wind, solar and other renewable sources.
Nathaniel Baer of Environment Iowa said advocates are optimistic that the Democratic- controlled 82nd General Assembly will look favorably on a renewable energy standard for electricity similar to one for ethanol that lawmakers approved last session. Backers said Iowa relies too heavily on coal, oil, gas and nuclear power to generate 95 percent of its electricity.
‘‘It’s time for the Legislature to act so that our economy can tap our vast potential for wind, solar and biomass,’’ Baer said at a Statehouse news conference.
To bolster the proposed initiative, Environment Iowa released a report indicating that ‘‘clean energy policies’’ could save Iowa consumers nearly $1.1 billion cumulatively on energy costs, create more than 5,000 jobs and significantly reduce fossil-fuel pollution by 2020.
Reaping that benefit, however, likely would require an annual investment of up to $100 million over the next 14 years through state appropriations, a charge to rate payers or some other mechanism to maximum energy-efficiency programs that would be administered through ‘‘publicly run and independently audited programs’’ rather than investor-owned utilities. Part of the proceeds would go for developing programs that would reward homeowners and businesses for investing in energy-efficient technologies.
The initiative would replace the state’s 2 percent mandate for energy efficiency and renewable energy program, which is funded by utility companies’ ratepayers. Mark Douglas of the Iowa Utilities Association, which represents investor- owned utilities that operate in Iowa, said his members would have ‘‘strong reservations, obviously, about disrupting long and successful energy- efficiency programs’’ that generate up to $100 million a year for energy- efficiency programs that rank high nationally.
State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, DIowa City said Iowa already is a leader in renewable energy production and that setting a more aggressive state standard could attract additional private investments.
