Solar Energy
Utility-scale solar energy has become an essential part of our efforts to generate energy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for our customers. In 2021, MidAmerican Energy announced the company’s first small-scale solar projects, totaling 141 megawatts of additional renewable energy to add to the 7,300 megawatts we already generate in wind energy. Solar development is another way to provide clean, carbon-free energy to our customers.
MidAmerican’s current solar projects in Iowa include:
| Location | MW |
|---|---|
| Waterloo solar project in Waterloo | 3 MW |
| Hills solar project near Iowa City | 3 MW |
| Neal solar project near Sioux City | 4 MW |
| Franklin solar project near Hampton | 7 MW |
| Arbor Hill solar project in Adair County | 24 MW |
| Holliday Creek solar project in Webster County | 100 MW |
All of our solar energy projects feature single-axis tracking, which means they move from east to west throughout the day to follow the sun and help generate more electricity. Some of our solar projects are connected directly into the local distribution system, so we know that the energy being produced is being used in the areas where our projects are located. The Waterloo solar project alone has the capacity to serve 650 local average Iowa homes. And, all together, our solar projects will include almost 400,000 solar modules.
If you are interested in private solar generation, you can find more information on the Private Energy Generation page. It’s important to note that customers and their installers are responsible for following the interconnection rules of the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) and Illinois Administrative Code Part 452, and for meeting all MidAmerican requirements.
And, if you’re interested in selling your land to MidAmerican to house solar projects, please fill out our online interest form.