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"Iowa's Electric Profile" contains electric information summarized by year from U.S. DOE-EIA information. Because of the time delay in EIA’s published reports, as well as the rapid nature of wind development in Iowa (e.g. Iowa wind capacity more than doubled in calendar year 2008), IUB staff periodically produces more current estimates of the progress of wind electricity production in Iowa.
As of January 2011, IUB staff estimates that 19-20% of all electricity generated in Iowa now comes from wind. This output is generated in Iowa but may be consumed outside of the state. This reflects the expected annual performance of all wind generation installed in Iowa to date, not historic performance. The estimate is based on the following assumptions: Currently installed wind capacity of 3,675 MW in Iowa, per AWEA's web site; Iowa average wind capacity factor of 33.3%, per industry consultant Tom Wind; and current U.S. DOE-EIA figures for electricity generated in Iowa (from all/other sources).
Estimated Annual Iowa Wind Generation |
|
January 1, 2007 |
January 1, 2008 |
January 1, 2009 |
January 1, 2010 |
January 1, 2011 |
| Range |
5.9%
5.9% |
6.8%
6.9% |
13.9%
15.0% |
17.8%
19.9% |
19.3%
20.5% |
| Average |
5.9% |
6.9% |
14.5% |
18.6% |
19.9% |
| Wind Capacity (MW) |
931 |
1,192 |
2,791 |
3,670 |
3,675 |
Notes:
Estimated output from wind turbines, as a percentage of all electric generation in Iowa.
Iowa estimated average wind capacity factor of 33.3% per industry consultant Tom Wind.
Generation data source is EIA.
Wind capacity source is American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). |
Likely factors for wind development in Iowa:
- Iowa is an excellent central location for wind development, with high capacity factor wind resources located near major load centers with renewable portfolio standard requirements.
- Iowa has good transportation infrastructure for shipping manufactured wind components.
- Iowa has a history of manufacturing, relatively low industrial electric rates supporting component manufacturing, and a productive workforce.
- Iowa has relatively good existing transmission infrastructure, supporting expansion of wind development to date.
- Service territories inside of Midwest ISO, a large transmission operator, provide broader resources and greater ability to balance and integrate wind generation.
- Federal production tax credits are available.
- State production tax credits have been provided via Iowa Code Chapters 476B and 476C (2009 Supp).
- Advance ratemaking principles are available and have been granted for investor-owned utility (IOU) wind projects. Iowa IOUs own 1,484 MW of wind capacity in Iowa (CY2009 year end).
- Board orders in Docket Nos. DRU-03-2 and DRU-03-3 have interpreted Iowa Code Chapter 476A (2009) to allow exemption of wind projects from plant certification requirements if the total amount of capacity per gathering line is less than 25 MW. In waiver dockets, such as WRU-2009-0016-4099, the Board has waived the plant certification requirements when the total capacity per gathering line has equaled or slightly exceeded 25 MW.
Links to other related sites of interest:
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