Proposed Iowa Utilities Board efficiency plan drops access to energy efficiency discounts

A new five-year plan filed to the Iowa Utilities Board could restrict access to home energy audits and other existing discounts for customers, Midwest Energy News reports. Representatives at MidAmerican Energy and Alliant subsidiary Interstate Power & Light say the new plan, which includes terminating subsidies for LED bulbs and ending insulation…

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Siemens awarded contract for smart microgrid in Finland

Siemens AG and Lempäälän Energia will build a self-sufficient smart grid system in Marjamäki, Finland, Siemens announced on Tuesday morning. Project LEMENE will provide a cost-effective, environmentally friendly and secure energy supply to the community, Siemens said. The project will feature more than 15,000 solar panels, six gas motors and…

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Wind blade manufacturer fined for lapses in worker safety

Iowa wind blade manufacturer TPI Composites, based in Newton, will have to pay more than $150,000 in fines after Iowa’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration identified multiple safety hazards, including fire hazards, airborne contaminants and faulty record keeping, the Des Moines Register reports. The five-month investigation determined TPI failed to…

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Seven things you’ll see in seven years

Buckle up: 2025 is only seven years away. Last week Aaron Proietti, founder of Adaptivity Enterprises and a self-proclaimed futurist, offered EntreFEST conference attendees in Cedar Rapids several thoughtful predictions of what to expect from the world in less than 10 years. “The technologies that I’ve shown here are not…

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