Energizing Agriculture: An Innovative and Transferable Approach to Agricultural Energy

Winneshiek Energy District has built its local model of Energy planning on the conservation planning process of locally-led Soil and Water Conservation District/NRCS partnership. In the Energy industry, unfortunately, Energy audits have become the norm, and financial assistance expected. Audits, however, are typically a program-driven product that rarely creates change, while locally-led Energy planning is a customer-driven process with high success rates even without financial assistance. Like conservation planning, Energy planning takes a strong local partnership to create the acceptance and critical mass necessary for widespread adoption. The Energy District will establish an agricultural Energy planning program and regional mobilization initiative with partners including the SWCDs, NRCS, ISU Extension, producer groups, utilities and more. This project will build a locally-led Energy planning model, demonstrate implementation success through Energy planning leading to completion of at least 30 projects – 20 including renewable Energy systems – and develop tools and conduct technology transfer and replication activities together with NRCS.