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Cooperative Invests in Smart Lighting Product Company

CMA Ventures, a subsidiary of Central Iowa Power Cooperative, has participated in a Series B investment round in Igor, a Des Moines startup which has developed a “power-over-ethernet” product that can be used to help companies better manage lighting and electricity in their buildings.

Dairyland Power Cooperative Announces Significant Wind Expansion

Dairyland Power Cooperative, located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, recently announced that it will begin purchasing energy from a 98 megawatt wind project located in southwestern Wisconsin. The project is owned by EDP Renewables North America. The project is currently working its way through the MISO generation interconnect process, and construction is set to begin in 2017.

Tri-State Electric Breaks Ground on Research Center

Tri-State Electric has just broken ground on the Wyoming Integrated Test Center.  The Center is an industrial-scale lab that will research methods that could be used to remove carbon emissions from coal-fired plants and convert them into a revenue-producing resource.  Products made from waste carbon emissions could include chemicals, fuels, building materials and graphene.

CIPCO Launches State’s Largest Solar Project

Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO), a G&T based in Des Moines, just launched a new solar project.  The first phase of the new utility-scale project will produce up to 5.5 MWs of power by late 2016.  CIPCO will be adding to its portfolio of emissions-free sources of energy, which currently make up 54 percent of its energy mix.  The decision to build a utility scale solar plant...

Sixth Circuit Agrees to Review EPA’s Waters of the United States Rule

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit has agreed to review EPA’s Waters of the U.S. rule. The controversial rule has been criticized on the grounds that it would extend EPA’s regulatory authority to small streams and dry creek beds.  According to Dorothy Kellogg, NRECA senior principal, the rule will result in more expensive permits for coops attempting to maintain or construct...

High Court Rejects Bid to Stay Mercury Air Toxics Rule

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request to stay the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule. The rule, which requires coal-fired power plants to greatly reduce mercury and other toxic emissions, was struck down in June because the EPA had not considered the $1 billion cost of imposing the rule. The D.C. Circuit left the original rule in place, however, while the EPA...

Supreme Court Grants Stay of Obama Clean Power Plan

The Supreme Court has granted a stay request from more than two dozen states, plus utilities and coal companies, to put on hold the implementation of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan.  The Court’s decision halts implementation but does not address the merits of the pending legal challenge to the plan, which asserts the Environmental Protection Agency has overstepped its powers.  An...

DC Circuit Refuses to Delay Implementation of Clean Power Plan

In a setback to dozens of states and industry groups, the D.C. Circuit Court refused to delay the Clean Power Plan (CPP) while legal challenges are ongoing. The petitioners argued that they will be irreparably harmed by starting the compliance process. Basin Electric Power Cooperative has argued that it will lose a lot of money if they comply with the CPP and it is later scrapped by...

An End to Geothermal Incentives in Illinois

Incentives for geothermal energy systems in Illinois have ended. Geothermal systems are more expensive than traditional fossil fuel based HVAC systems, but result in savings down the road. While in place, the incentives—in the form of grants—helped cooperative members install 51 geothermal projects resulting in an aggregate annual savings of $681,000. The last of the incentive grants...

Colorado Coop Begins Supplying Additional Solar Power

Poudre Valley Rural Electric Cooperative (Poudre) recently began supplying members with additional solar energy from two large solar plants. The plants, owned by Silicon Ranch Corporation, will supply power to Poudre’s members pursuant to an outputs contract. The two plants produce a combined 8 megawatts of power from 100,000 panels and will supply enough electricity to meet the needs...

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