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Posted By IAMU,
Monday, October 4, 2021
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The Iowa Energy Center (IEC) Board and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) announced that the first application window for a new supportive energy program, the Energy Infrastructure Revolving Loan Program (EIRLP), will open today.
Applications for this loan funding round will be accepted online via iowagrants.gov from October 1 to October 22, 2021.
The EIRLP provides low-interest loans for energy infrastructure projects that facilitate electricity or gas generation, transmission, storage or distribution. The purpose of the program is to support: - Energy infrastructure development
- Electric grid modernization
- Energy-sector workforce development
- Emergency preparedness for rural and underserved areas
- Expansion of biomass, biogas and renewable natural gas
- Innovative technologies
- Development of infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles
A business, rural electric cooperative or municipal utility located and operating in Iowa is eligible for financial assistance via this program. “Iowa is an energy powerhouse, and it’s critical that we maintain our leadership position by supporting transformational, innovative projects,” said Debi Durham, executive director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority. “The launch of the loan program is another great example of the Iowa Energy Center Board, with approval from the Iowa Legislature, developing a financial resource that allows Iowa to be both responsive to current energy needs and to take advantage of future opportunities.”
The EIRLP Policies and Procedures Handbook and loan application deadlines are available online at iowaeda.com/iowa-energy-office/energy-loans/.
For additional program information, please contact Stephanie Weisenbach at 515.348.6221 or email stephanie.weisenbach@iowaeda.com.
Tags:
EIRLP
Energy
IEDA
Iowa Energy Center
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Posted By IAMU,
Thursday, July 15, 2021
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This day-long workshop will help utilities and independent power producers plan strategically for the future and apply engineering economic principles when making decisions about new sources of renewable power and new transmission lines. Jeff Gorrie, Director of Energy Services at IAMU will be attending, and is encouraging municipal utilities to join for this free learning event. More information is listed below: What: The purpose of this workshop is to explore the fundamentals behind making economic decisions to purchase new sources of generation and build new transmission lines. Planning for the future of Iowa electricity involves substantial uncertainty, including the future demand for electricity, possible carbon emission limits, requirements to use renewable resources, generation capabilities and efficiencies of new technologies, and the cost of different sources of generation. Incorporating these and other uncertainties into a utility’s planning and making good economic decisions in the midst of these uncertainties are challenging. The workshop will focus on solving real-world problems in electricity planning. The workshop will specifically explore the following topics: - Knowing when and under what conditions new sources of energy should be installed
- Valuing new energy sources
- Managing risk, especially financial risk, for an electric utility
- Understanding how a utility’s risk attitude (e.g., risk aversion) should impact the utility’s risk management decisions and valuation of new energy sources
The workshop will be designed to be interactive. The workshop will show how Excel can be used to solve for the optimal power flow in an electric bus network. Participants will be provided with Excel workbooks that they can use to calculate the optimal power flow that minimizes total generation cost. When: Wednesday, August 11, 2021 from 10 am – 4 pm. Break with snacks and lunch will be provided. Where: Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa (exact location TBD) Workshop Facilitators: K. Jo Min and Cameron MacKenzie, professors in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Iowa State University Registration: There is no registration fee, but registration prior to the workshop is required. To register, please send your name, affiliation, and email to Cameron MacKenzie, 515-294-6283, camacken@iastate.edu. This workshop is sponsored by the Iowa Energy Center. For further information, please contact Cameron or view www.imse.iastate.edu/sweeet (SWEEET’s designated Web page). Who: Electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, independent power producers, investor-owned utilities, and any member of Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities and Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives.
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Electric
Energy Efficiency
Iowa Energy Center
ISU
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Posted By IAMU,
Monday, June 14, 2021
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The Iowa Economic Development Authority’s (IEDA) Iowa Energy Office is seeking your input as we develop the requirements and framework for a new energy program, the Energy Infrastructure Revolving Loan Program (EIRLP). Our previous energy loan program, the Alternate Energy Revolving Loan Program (AERLP), was discontinued in the 2021 Iowa Legislative session by Division XII of 2021 Iowa Acts, Senate File 619. If enacted, the changes go into effect July 1, 2021. The legislation replaces the program with the EIRLP for projects that include land, buildings, physical plant and equipment, and services directly related to the development of projects used for, or useful for, electricity or gas generation, transmission, storage, or distribution.
The EIRLP broadens the projects and borrowers that were previously eligible for assistance and emphasizes the mission of the Iowa Energy Center and the outcomes sought from the projects. A few highlights include: - In addition to Iowa businesses and individuals, municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives are eligible borrowers.
- Unlike the AERLP, the EIRLP does not specify zero interest on the loans, which would allow interest to be charged.
- Eligible projects could include support of electric or gas generation, transmission, storage, or distribution; electric grid modernization; energy sector workforce development; emergency preparedness for rural and underserved areas; expansion of biomass, biogas, and renewable natural gas; innovative technologies; and the development of infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles.
Your expertise is uniquely valuable as we formulate administrative rules, policies and procedures. The Iowa Energy Center Board seeks to support impactful projects developed by borrowers that are well-positioned for implementation and loan repayment. We created a survey for stakeholders to provide input on how the loan program can best meet the demand for energy infrastructure opportunities in Iowa. Please complete the following survey by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23, 2021.  We look forward to your feedback on the framework that will help achieve the program’s goals. The details of the new program, including when applications may be submitted, will be updated on IEDA’s website as they become available.
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EIRLP
IEDA
Iowa Energy Center
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Posted By IAMU,
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
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The Iowa Energy Center (IEC) Board and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has announced the opening of the second round of the IEC Grant program.
Designed to facilitate energy-related economic development in Iowa, the program will begin accepting pre-applications February 20. Submissions, which must support projects and initiatives that align with the Iowa Energy Plan and IEC’s activities, will be accepted through iowagrants.gov until March 19.
The IEC Grant Program is funded by gas and electric utilities across Iowa and open to Iowa businesses, colleges, universities and private nonprofit agencies and foundations. The program supports projects that provide a benefit to Iowa’s residential and commercial customers. Projects must also aid in the implementation of at least one of the seven key focus areas of the Iowa Energy Plan: technology-based research and development, workforce development, support for rural and underserved areas, biomass, natural gas expansion in underserved areas, electric grid modernization and alternative fuel vehicles.
Grant awards will range from $10,000 to $1,000,000; however, most grants awarded will be in the $150,000 - $300,000 range. The IEC Board will make at least one funding announcement per fiscal year, and the application process will include both a pre-application and application phase. An updated Policies and Procedures Handbook and Pre-Application guide will be available online February 20.
For additional information, please visit iowaeda.com/energy.
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Grant
IEDA
Iowa Energy Center
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Posted By IAMU,
Monday, March 7, 2016
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The Iowa Energy Center is hosting a class on Variable Frequency Drives for Fan and Pump Applications on April 14th at IAMU’s offices. This course will provide an overview of the subject of variable frequency drives (VFDs) commonly used in motor control applications on fans, pumps, compressors and other equipment used in commercial/industrial settings. More information and registration can be found here.
The overall goals of the course include providing attendees with an understanding of how and where VFDs can save energy, where VFDs can improve process control within a facility, and how to spot these energy saving and process control opportunities as well as understand the many and varied issues that must be addressed when using VFDs in new or retrofit applications. A detailed overview of the advantages and disadvantages of drives will provide attendees with a general understanding of where VFDs make operational, energy efficiency and economic sense and where they may have limitations in fan and pump systems. A full agenda can be found here.
The class has been approved for 7 hours of CEUs for water treatment, water distribution, and wastewater licenses. The CEUs can be split between licenses if desired. The class is also ideal for utility energy efficiency personnel and utility industrial customers.
Tags:
Iowa Energy Center
VFD
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