Geoff Greenwood, Media Relations Manager, says in 2022, MidAmerican Energy reached a goal it set in 2016 - to deliver 100% renewable energy to provide electricity for Iowa customers.
"It was an unusual year, but it wasn't a fluke that we reached this milestone because for two decades, we've invested in wind energy. We've invested big. And so, this wasn't just a happy accident, this is something that we've been working on for many years."
It (2022) was likely the windiest April, and start to the year through April 30th for that matter, on record across the area since *at least* the mid to late 1990s based on average wind speed.National Weather Service data via MidAmerican Energy press release
Without building wind farms, MidAmerican wouldn't have had the infrastructure needed to take advantage of the wind. "We have invested in wind energy here in Iowa, since 2004, and we've spent something along the lines of $14 billion, with a "B" dollars. And we've added that wind energy at no net cost to our customers."
Greenwood also says customers should not expect record wind speeds every year. The utility wants to continue building capacity. "We've got a proposal before the Iowa utilities board called Wind PRIME, which would add another 2,000-plus megawatts of wind energy."
On Tuesday at 1 P.M., the Iowa Utilities Board will hold a hearing about MidAmerican's Wind PRIME proposal. Greenwood says the board is expected make a decision in December.
Currently, the utility operates more than 3,400 wind turbines in Iowa. They're located on land where the property owners have voluntary agreements with MidAmerican Energy.
