Solar power in Iowa on rooftops can provide 20% of all electricity used in Iowa.[1] A 2012 estimate suggests that a 5 kW array will pay for itself in utility savings in 18 years, and generate a profit of $12,000 thereafter.[2] On June 7, 2012, Sky Factory in Fairfield became the first company in the state to generate all of their electricity from solar power, with the installation of a 54 kW 3500 sq. ft. solar array.[3][4][5] Prior to that one of the largest arrays was the 15.75 kW array on the Marshalltown Public Library[6]
Net metering is available continuously to all consumers generating up to 500 kW, one of the best policies in the country,[7] but is given a B because of not being available to large, megawatt users.[8] A feed-in tariff is available for customers of the Farmers Electrical Cooperative for up to 25% of their electricity. It pays 20 cents/kWh for electricity generated, none of which can be directly used – a separate meter is required, in a parallel connection, making it a power purchase agreement, instead of a feed-in tariff.[9] The state of Iowa has proposed a feed-in tariff, in Senate bill SF 225. A separate rate applies for systems less than 20 kW and systems from 20 kW to less than 20 MW.[10][11]
In December 2011, Des Moines based MidAmerican Energy, a Berkshire Hathaway company, purchased the Topaz Solar Farm, which when completed, at 550 MW, could be one of the largest in the world.[12]
Statistics[edit]
| Iowa Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[14][15] |
| Year |
Capacity |
Change |
% Change |
| 2010 |
<0.1 |
|
|
| 2011 |
0.1 |
<0.1 |
|
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