Alliant Energy has introduced the Clean Energy Blueprint for Iowa, a path for accelerating their transition to cleaner energy for customers.
The blueprint outlines the company’s plans to increase the use of renewable resources, including solar power, add more battery storage and build out the connected energy network. The company’s new roadmap also includes plans to discontinue coal generation in Lansing, Iowa, by the end of 2022 while transitioning their Burlington Generating Station to natural gas in 2021.
The Clean Energy Blueprint is part of the company’s Powering What’s Next plan, which is guided by their Clean Energy Vision and strategy to serve customers and build stronger communities. Together, the near-term investments in the projects outlined in the blueprint will help Iowa customers avoid more than $300 million in costs over the next 35 years.
“We continue to provide clean energy to our customers,” says John Larsen, president and CEO of Alliant Energy. “Investing in renewable energy, like wind and solar, benefits our customers, the communities we serve and the environment. Our Clean Energy Blueprint serves as a roadmap that creates new jobs for Iowans and revenue opportunities for communities around the state, while we also provide reliable, sustainable energy solutions for decades to come.”
A key part of the Clean Energy Blueprint, which aligns with changing consumer preferences for more renewable energy, includes adding up to 400 MW of solar by 2023. Near-term investment in renewables creates long-term savings for customers. When the 400 MW of solar is combined with the nearly 1,300 MW of owned-and-operated wind and the power generated by the company’s existing solar farms in Dubuque, Marshalltown and Cedar Rapids – as well as other renewable sources – nearly 50% of Alliant Energy’s Iowa generation portfolio will be from renewables.
Alliant Energy will work with the communities of Burlington and Lansing on the upcoming transitions. The company will also work closely with city and community leaders to determine ways to continue supporting the economic health of the community.
As part of its blueprint, Alliant Energy is also exploring how battery storage can enhance reliability and expects to add up to 100 MW of distributed energy resources by 2026. When used in conjunction with solar generation, battery storage serves as a “renewable electron bank” designed to store excess power that’s generated when the sun is most powerful.
Photo: Alliant Energy’s Clean Energy Blueprint
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