Iowa
Iowa Utilities Board bill includes a good idea—and a lost cause
Wally Taylor is the Legal Chair of the Sierra Club Iowa chapter.
The Iowa Utilities Board has proposed companion bills on energy production in the Iowa legislature this year. The Sierra Club is focused on two provisions in House Study Bill 555 and Senate Study Bill 3075: including battery storage as part of an energy production facility, and designating nuclear power as an alternate energy production facility.
One of the primary criticisms of renewable energy, specifically wind and solar, is that they provide power intermittently. In other words, wind turbines don’t provide power when the wind isn’t blowing, and solar panels don’t provide power when the sun isn’t shining.
Technology has advanced to the point that batteries can store wind energy when the wind is blowing and solar energy when the sun is shining, and then make the power available when is it needed (commonly called “baseload”). Batteries, combined with wind and solar, would provide baseload. So it makes sense to include storage batteries as part of an electric generating facility. Sierra Club supports that part of the board’s proposal.
In practical terms, energy production facilities (or parts of facilities) would need a permit from the Iowa Utilities Board in order to include battery storage. In considering whether to grant a permit, the board must consider the legislature’s intent to ensure reliable electric service, to promote less carbon intensive energy production, and to comply with reasonable land use and environmental policies. Battery storage that enhances the effectiveness of renewable energy certainly fits the bill.
Sierra Club has opposed nuclear power since the 1970s and is deeply concerned about the provision on nuclear power in the utilities board’s bill. Uranium, which is mined from the ground, is not a renewable resource. Waste from mining and processing uranium creates environmental impacts. Construction of nuclear plants is expensive and subsidized by taxpayers. In addition, the waste from spent nuclear fuel is radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years, with no good place to store it. Finally, relying on nuclear power delays the critical transition to renewable energy.
Given those problems, nuclear plants have been closing down over the last several years, including the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa.
The board proposes to designate nuclear power as an alternate energy production facility in the Iowa Code. That would be advantageous for utility companies, because in Iowa, alternate energy projects can qualify for a practice known as “advanced ratemaking.” When the Iowa Utilities Board approves advanced ratemaking, utility companies can “recover costs proactively to reduce risk.”
Alternate energy production facilities are intended to be small renewable energy facilities owned by the person or entity using the power produced. Examples might be solar panels on a roof, or small wind turbines at an industrial or commercial site. It is hard to conceive how a nuclear plant would fit into this framework. Industrial scale wind and solar projects are in another chapter of the Iowa Code, not the alternate energy section.
Even if the intent is to refer to small modular reactors, the inherent problems of nuclear power are still present. Moreover, even if the Iowa Utilities Board hopes to incentivize small modular reactors, no Iowan is likely to have their own reactor. Operating a nuclear reactor requires expertise and experience, which only a company in the nuclear industry would have. And they are expensive. No one would choose nuclear power over renewable energy, which is much less costly.
Electric utilities and the nuclear industry have not given up on promoting nuclear power. It is their Lost Cause.
The utilities board has not explained what it had in mind when it drafted House Study Bill 555 and Senate Study Bill 3075.
Editor’s note from Laura Belin: An Iowa House Commerce subcommittee advanced HSB 555 on January 23, with support from Republican State Representatives Hans Wilz and Brian Lohse and Democratic State Representative Sean Bagniewski. The Senate companion bill has been assigned to a subcommittee, but no meeting has been scheduled.
Top image of solar panels is by Oliver Britton, available via Shutterstock.
Iowa
Fatal crash on I-35 in Iowa
NORTHWOOD, Iowa (KTTC) – One person is dead after a single-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon in Worth County.
According to Iowa State Patrol, around 1:45 p.m., a vehicle was traveling southbound on Interstate 35 in Worth County near the 208-exit ramp. The driver lost control of the vehicle, went into the median, through the cable barrier and struck the bridge pillar.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Copyright 2024 KTTC. All rights reserved.
Iowa
Updating Iowa State rankings in college football polls ahead of UCF matchup
Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell praises linebackers’ efforts
It hasn’t been easy for Iowa State’s linebackers, who have been hurt by injuries, but players continue to step up for the Cyclones.
The latest college football polls have been released, and Iowa State keeps moving up.
Iowa State improved to 6-0 after beating West Virginia 28-16 on Saturday in Morgantown.
The Cyclones are now set for a matchup at home vs. UCF on Saturday, Oct. 19.
Iowa State rankings update
Where did Iowa State land?
On Sunday, Iowa State checked in at No. 12 in USATODAY US LBM coaches poll. Previously, the Cyclones were No. 13.
Iowa State climbed up to No. 9 in the newest AP Top 25 college football poll. Last week, the Cyclones were No. 11.
US LBM Coaches Poll
Here is a look at the new US LBM college football coaches poll top 25.
- Texas
- Oregon
- Penn State
- Georgia
- Ohio State
- Miami (Fla.)
- Alabama
- LSU
- Clemson
- Tennessee
- Notre Dame
- Iowa State
- BYU
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Missouri
- Kansas State
- Indiana
- Boise State
- Pittsburgh
- Illinois
- Michigan
- SMU
- Army West Point
- Nebraska
Schools Dropped Out
No. 16 Oklahoma; No. 17 Utah
Others Receiving Votes
Oklahoma 81; Arizona State 49; Navy 37; Utah 31; Vanderbilt 26; Syracuse 13; UNLV 12; Iowa 12; Texas Tech 9; Liberty 9; Washington State 8; Memphis 4; Louisville 4; James Madison 3; Tulane 2
AP Poll
Here is a look at the new Associated Press college football poll top 25
- Texas
- Oregon
- Penn State
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Miami (Fla.)
- Alabama
- LSU
- Iowa State
- Clemson
- Tennessee
- Notre Dame
- BYU
- Texas A&M
- Boise State
- Indiana
- Kansas State
- Ole Miss
- Missouri
- PIttsburgh
- SMU
- Illinois
- Army West Point
- Michigan
- Navy
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
Vanderbilt 68, Nebraska 62, Arizona St. 39, Oklahoma 36, Washington St. 32, Iowa 29, Texas Tech 18, Syracuse 13, Arkansas 13, Utah 7, Louisville 6, Southern Cal 5, Liberty 2, UNLV 1.
Reach Eugene Rapay at erapay@gannett.com and follow him on X/Twitter @erapay5.
Iowa
Becht, Hansen lead No. 11 Iowa State over West Virginia 28-16 for first 6-0 start since 1938
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht believes the Cyclones have yet to hit their peak during their best start in 86 years.
Carson Hansen rushed for three scores, Becht threw a touchdown pass and No. 11 Iowa State beat West Virginia 28-16 on Saturday night.
The Cyclones (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) opened the season with six wins for the first time since 1938.
“I feel like we haven’t even played our best game yet as a whole — special teams, defense, and offense,” Becht said. The goal is “finding ways to get better each and every single week, and our mindset is just 0-0 and trying to win that next game.”
Iowa State forged a first-place tie in the league with BYU and idle Texas Tech.
The Cyclones broke open a close game by scoring two touchdowns after intercepting West Virginia’s Garrett Greene in the second half.
Becht found Eli Green on passes of 12 and 34 yards on consecutive plays to set up the Cyclones at the West Virginia 17. A third-down holding call on West Virginia cornerback Ayden Garnes gave Iowa State first-and-goal at the 3, and Hansen scored on the next play for a 21-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Jontez Williams made his third interception of the season on West Virginia’s next drive, and Iowa State took over at the Mountaineers’ 34. Hansen ran for 20 yards on the ensuing drive, capped by his 2-yard scoring run for a 28-10 lead with 4:42 left.
Hansen, a sophomore who also scored on an 11-yard run in the second quarter, finished with 96 rushing yards, one shy of the career high he set last week against Baylor. He ran for a total of 67 yards during an injury-filled freshman season.
“For him to consistently play the way he has the last couple of weeks, it’s awesome to watch,” Becht said.
West Virginia (3-3, 2-1) was held to 148 rushing yards against the league’s top defense after amassing 389 yards on the ground a week ago at Oklahoma State. The Mountaineers were hurt by several high snaps that threw off their timing and runs parallel to the line of scrimmage that lost yardage.
“In the second half, when it was winning time, we didn’t win,” said West Virginia coach Neal Brown. “We struggled to get into a rhythm.”
Becht completed 18 of 26 passes for 265 yards, including a 60-yard scoring toss to Jaylin Noel in blown coverage in the second quarter.
Becht’s father, Anthony, was honored on the field after the first quarter for his induction into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He played tight end for the Mountaineers from 1996-99 and 11 seasons in the NFL.
“You couldn’t ask for a greater night for his family,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said.
Rocco Becht said he wished he could have been there with his dad, “but I had bigger things going on trying to win this game.”
Jahiem White had an 8-yard scoring run and a 10-yard TD catch for West Virginia. Greene finished 18 of 32 for 206 yards.
Iowa State: The Cyclones answered the challenge on both sides of the ball in winning their seventh straight road game. Becht played smart and efficient, and the nation’s sixth-best scoring defense was stout again.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers many too many mistakes at key times and now have lost eight consecutive games to ranked opponents.
Iowa State might have a tough time moving up when the AP poll comes out on Sunday. The Cyclones were tied at No. 11 with Notre Dame, which beat Stanford 49-7.
Iowa State: Hosts UCF on Saturday night.
West Virginia: Hosts No. 18 Kansas State on Saturday night.
___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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