Renewable Energy
NIPCO Policies Support Renewable Energy
NIPCO supports renewable energy as a valuable resource that contributes to a balanced energy portfolio and recognizes its growing presence in our service territory. NIPCO's Class A member distribution cooperatives have developed and incorporated their own, individual set of policies regarding the safe and sustainable interconnection and net-metering of consumer-owned distributed generation on their lines. Those policies are developed with the unique needs of their own member-owners in mind to ensure that renewable energies, such as wind and solar, will benefit all members of rural cooperatives, living in western Iowa, for years to come.
To learn more about your cooperative's policies regarding consumer-owned distributed generation, please visit their website or contact one of their Customer Service Representatives.
Thinking of Installing Solar?
Cooperative member-owners who have an interest in investing in solar energy for their home or small business have a new resource to aid in making an informed decision. The Iowa Energy Center has published the Home Series: Solar PV Energy Guide in collaboration with the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, Alliant Energy, the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, and MidAmerican Energy with information from the Office of Consumer Advocate and the Iowa Utilities Board.​
The guide is organized into the following important sections – Getting Started (Doing Your Homework), Conducting a Site Assessment, Designing the Solar PV Array, Calculating the System ROI, and Constructing the Solar PV. In addition, a helpful glossary is included in the publication. Whether you are exploring a turnkey system, a do-it-yourself approach, or a combination of both, the information is presented in a series of steps and important considerations in order to arrive at the best decision for your situation.
Throughout the publication, it’s stressed that member-owners who are interested in a solar investment should talk to their co-op at the beginning of the process. This is critical in order to understand cooperative rate structures, compensation for excess generation, interconnection requirements, and other vital facets of consumer-owned generation.
When making a decision about a solar energy system, member-owners are reminded that you also should consider including your trusted advisors such as accountants, attorneys, and tax professionals, in your research to provide additional expertise in the decision-making process.