MidAmerican offers customers new energy savings options through proposed Iowa five-year energy efficiency and demand response plan
Proposed plan for 2024-2028 part of company’s 2050 net-zero goal
DES MOINES, Iowa – (February 2, 2023) – MidAmerican Energy customers in Iowa will have new options to help them save on their monthly energy bills through a proposed five-year energy efficiency and demand response plan.
The proposed 2024-2028 plan, filed Wednesday with the Iowa Utilities Board, provides both residential and nonresidential customers with cost-effective energy efficiency program options to help them lower their gas and electric usage. Additionally, the plan provides a demand response program that incentivizes customers to shift their electricity usage during peak periods.
The plan would also help MidAmerican achieve its goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The proposal reflects input from various stakeholder groups, including environmental and energy efficiency organizations, and home and commercial comfort system contractors.
“MidAmerican is excited about this plan because it’s something we developed with lots of input from multiple stakeholders and energy efficiency experts,” Erin Rasmussen, MidAmerican director of energy efficiency, said. “Today we offer a robust energy efficiency portfolio of programs. If this five-year plan is approved, these cost-effective programs will be improved and enhanced with our customers in mind, making it easier to participate and providing more opportunities to save. And we’ve added innovative programs for income-qualified customers to make it easier for them to take advantage of our energy efficiency programs that will help lower energy usage and future monthly bills,” she added. “When our customers save energy, they also save money.”
Residential programs
New features for residential programs include:
New features for residential programs include:
- For heating and cooling purchases, the instant discount enhancement would enable residential customers to save money up-front when they buy energy-efficient equipment, instead of submitting rebate forms after their purchase.
- An online marketplace will offer instant discounts on smart thermostats and easy-to-install energy-saving products such as advanced power strips, low-flow faucet aerators and water-saving showerheads. The site will also offer other easy-to-install energy-saving products, including weatherstripping and LED lights.
- New energy efficiency and weatherization offerings for income-qualified customers like free weatherization kits, increased community action agency and local partnership efforts, and programs targeted to small businesses in lower income and underserved neighborhoods.
- Increased participation incentives for SummerSaver smart thermostat participants
Nonresidential programs
Nonresidential programs, which are available to commercial and industrial customers, will include:
Nonresidential programs, which are available to commercial and industrial customers, will include:
- The instant discount enhancement would enable nonresidential customers to save money up-front when they buy energy-efficient equipment, instead of submitting rebate forms after their purchase
- Comprehensive facility assessments
- Increased incentives for annual load reduction participation
- LED lighting and commercial kitchen equipment incentives
- Enhanced new construction incentives encouraging affordable multifamily housing projects that are energy efficient
Plan’s annual energy savings: 207 gigawatt-hours, 1.7 million therms
By the end of 2028, MidAmerican will have invested more than $355 million in energy efficiency programs through the proposed plan, with a projected net economic benefit of $1.4 billion to MidAmerican and its Iowa customers.
The plan as submitted would provide annual energy savings of more than 207 gigawatt-hours and 1.7 million therms.
The Iowa Utilities Board will review the proposed plan and consider public comments before deciding on whether to approve it by January 1, 2024.
About MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican Energy, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, serves 804,000 electric customers in Iowa, Illinois and South Dakota, and 781,000 natural gas customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. Information about MidAmerican Energy is available at midamericanenergy.com and company social media channels.
MidAmerican Energy, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, serves 804,000 electric customers in Iowa, Illinois and South Dakota, and 781,000 natural gas customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. Information about MidAmerican Energy is available at midamericanenergy.com and company social media channels.