Clayton County Energy District’s Community Impact Report
The Clayton County Energy District (CCED) is a non-profit organization committed to strengthening our community through inclusively leading, implementing and accelerating the LOCAL clean energy transition. By putting boots on the ground in Clayton County:
We positively affect the local economy by reducing energy cost.
We slow climate change by promoting wise energy use.
We include everyone.
2021 Annual Report of Activities
2021 CCED Positive Impact Report PDF
- Each month, CCED helps facilitate the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Network monthly meetings
- The CCED sits at the Clean Energy of Iowa State Table and serves on the organization’s Steering Committee
- The CCED maintains LED permanent swap stations: Clayton County Food Shelf
- Each month, the CCED participates in a monthly EV Market analysis workgroup facilitated by UERPLC
- The CCED participates in biweekly legislative clean energy transition roundtable calls with other clean energy advocates and partners
January 2021
- Report: 2021Fundraising efforts = $8210
- The CCED presents Positive Impact Report
- Competes for Global Warming Mitigation Project Grant
- 95 Clayton County 5th grade students participate in our LED curriculum and LED distribution
February 2021
- Presented a EV charging station proposal to Clayton County Conservation Board
- https://claytoncounty.energydistrict.org/2021/01/21/cced-in-action-over-the-holidays/
- Lunch and Learn Iowa Business for Clean Energy
- Elkader Council – Franchise Agreement Ed
- Virtual Environmental Advocacy State Capitol with IEC
March 2021
- Championed HF 221 Iowa Solar’s Tax Credit Bill – (not made into law)
- CCED assists Warren County Energy District Exploration
- Lunch & Learn 100% Iowa
- Submitted Energy Coaching grant application to Iowa’s Energy Office – not funded
- EV Charging Stations are delivered to Elkader, Marquette, McGregor, Guttenberg and Strawberry Point
April 2021
- Clayton County Time Register covers the growth of solar in since CCED inception
- CCED advocates for Energy Democracy & Energy Burden relief during the pandemic at the federal, state and local levels.
- Advocacy continues for HF221 State Solar Tax Credit System
- Attends a Future of Energy Storage Workshop
- CCED launches its YouTube Channel!
- Earth Day promotion of IEC’s and 100% Iowa’s Energy Resiliency & Justice Conversation
- Jansen and Althoff join DBQED panel discussion – Clean Energy and Conservation for Small Business
May 2021
- Marquette EV Charger is initiated into action
- CCED promotes First Step Home Efficiency Program for Guttenberg Municipal Customers – 20 signups (6) audits
- Lunch & Learn what is First Step Energy Auditing
- Community Solar Discussions are held within CCED
- CCED releases Mission Possible Series with other Energy Districts for Giving Compass
- MISSION POSSIBLE: A JUST TRANSITION CREATES STRONG COMMUNITIES – Energy Burden in Clayton County
- CCED applies for a $10,000 McDonough Foundation Grant to relieve the counties energy burden with the First Step Efficiency program
June 2021
- Energy Audits completed in Guttenberg
- Past CCED Chair and founder Harry Blobaum’s Giving Compass Story – Empowering Green Energy Champions in Red Counties
- CCED will be the fiscal agent and serve as the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa coach for the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Tours in 11 existing energy districts
- Energy burden story collection
- Guttenberg’s EV Station goes online
July 2021
- CCED champions short term franchise with option outs for Elkader and other Clayton County Towns at city council meetings
- LTE – At minimum Elkader Should Get What Decorah and other Cities Got
- Franchise research conducted for eastern Iowa
- Learning session held at Volga Opera House for & Volga Leaders, Tim Dwight and Solar Integrators
- McGregor’s EV Charging Station Goes Online
August 2021
- Clayton County Fair – LED vs Incandescent Demonstration
- Strawberry Point’s EV Charging Station goes online
- CCED’s submits a winning grant to UMGC – Energy Coaching for Churches and Main St.
- Several energy audits completed in Guttenberg
September 2021
- CCED Board Chair, Jim Osterhaus pens Mission Possible: Accelerating Solar 10x in Rural America
- CCED organizes a Clean Energy Tour & Coaches ED’s
- Jansen participates in the RE-AMP Collaborative Leadership 8 week Course with Solar United Neighbors
October 2021
- Home Heating Assistance promotions
- CCED celebrates National Energy Efficiency Day
- CCED receives a $31,250 award for the Energy Coaching from the Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation
November 2021
- CCED conducts a local leaders tour featuring tour stops at Mount St. Francis Dubuque, ACEC and the Sun Source program, Energy Burden and EV Stations review
- CCED presents EV Charging Station project to EV Workgroup
- CCED presents EV Charging Station at a state-wide forum for planners 75 attendees – sponsored by CEDI & 1000 Friends of Iowa
December 2021
- Online Fundraising via Give Lively Tutorial
- Holiday Lighting Recycle and Collection Project
- Legislative Roundtable Discussions begin
- Action Alert ~38 Clayton Couty solar systems almost $125,000 state tax credits denied
2020 Annual Report of Activities
2020 CCED Positive Impact Report PDF
Recapping our Positive Impact (Slides)
Recapping our Positive Impact (recording)
2020
- Each month CCED helps facilitate the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Network monthly meetings
- CCED sits at the Clean Energy of Iowa State Table and serves on the organizations Steering Committee
- The CCED maintains LED permanent swap stations: Guttenberg Public Library, the Osborne Nature Center, the Edgewood Museum, Motor Mill (in season) and the Volga Public Library
January 2020
- Report: 2019 Fundraising efforts = $9100
- The CCED intends to implement a robust social media presence taking our message to where CC residents spend time
- Energy talks in Vernon County, WI & Linn County Iowa
- Host a booth at Energy Efficiency Day at the State Capitol CCED/CEDI
- Recruit participants for Guttenberg First Step EE program
- Continued State Table steering committee
- Add: “Include Everyone, Electrify Everything, Decarbonize Electricity” to our vision
February 2020
- Plans to host Mugs and Music – a night to recognize supporters & tell clean energy stories
- Wrote the Energy District Start Up Manual
- Collected & Delivered 600+ LBS for recycling for the ED Region
- Advocate for Iowa’s Solar Compromise which codifies Iowa’s Net Metering Law and Value of Solar Study
March 2020
- Iowa Net Metering becomes Iowa Law
- Prepared several grant apps around Electric Vehicle Market, Main St. Coaching & Energy Ratepayer bill of rights
- Proposed EV charging stations in Clayton County’s tourism destinations
- Would have attended a day of clean energy jobs advocacy in Washington, DC – cancelled due to COVID 19
- Met with Rep Finkenauer District Director regarding Clean Energy Transition & Job & Ratepayer rights
- Focus: COVID 19 https://claytoncounty.energydistrict.org/2020/03/31/utility-shutoffs-public-health-and-energy-burden/
April 2020
- Recruitment begins to filled vacant board seat
- New Monona area board member, Kathy Koether joins the CCED Board of Directors
- Guttenberg Residential Energy Audit plan delayed
- CCED works on energy equity issues related to the pandemic promotes LIHEAP extensions
- CCED continues to build a plan for relevancy in the Covid pandemic
- In recognition Clayton County is currently an EV charging station desert, the CCED will propose a project for grant funding to establish EV charging stations in the heart of the Driftless Region in order to bolster the local tourism industry.
- CCED celebrates Earth Day by promoting Interfaith Power and Lights Cool Congregations Carbon Calculator – for houses of worship and households
May 2020
- RE-AMP understands the dilemma of many network members and stepped in with an all important $5,000 grant! We will be using these grant dollars to float our continued local clean energy programs, advocacy, and market transformation work.
- CCED advocates for Energy Democracy & Energy Burden relief during the pandemic at the federal, state and local levels.
- The CCED was featured in a local social media video log FYElkader
June 2020
- Summer intern begins FREE LED Delivery, Solar Mapping and Solar Story Collection
- Summer intern begins Cool Congregation implementation project
- Audited the SOO Green High Voltage Direct Current (HDVC) Link public meeting, proposal for underground line along railroad right of way
- CCED offers rural small businesses & farms energy planning services
- 375 households sign up for the FREE LED Delivery
July 2020
- Community Owned Solar Farms – Osage, IA’s story Lunch and Learn
- Met with Monona, Marquette, Elkader, McGregor, Guttenberg & Strawberry Point town councils & city administration regarding a proposed EV charging station project
- In partnership with with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) met with US Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer
- Continued interviews for the Rate Payer Bill of Rights “Taking it to the streets” project
- Chairperson Jim Osterhaus gave an interview to the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s Rural Resilience Project
- Served on the State Table Steering ReAmp Network grant proposal team
- Organized local solar contractors to sign on to a letter to our US Senators to extend the (Solar) Investment Tax Credits
- Cool Congregations, Solar Mapping Internships continues
- FREE LED Delivery are in full swing FB video post
- Letter to the editor thanking Rep Finkenauer for supporting the Moving Forward Act
- Rural Energy for America Energy Planning recruitment – Koether Farms & Schera’s Restaurant
- CCED will be the fiscal agent and serve as the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa coach for the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Tours in 9 existing energy districts
August 2020
- Planning begins for LED learning session for Clayton County 5th grade students – funded in part by Allamakee Clayton Electric Cooperative
- Special Projects Lunch and Learn – Solar Mapped, LED’s Delivered, Cool Congregations introduced
- $50,175 grant proposal for Clayton County Public EV Charging Stations submitted to Upper Mississippi Gaming Board
- LED Delivery Report: 3000 LED’s swapped with energy hogging incandescent bulbs at 375 households – 125 North, 125 central, 125 south 8 bulbs/household
- Solar Mapping the # of “mapped” points increased from 20 instances of solar to 75
- Based on extensive research the amount of solar in Clayton County was estimated to be 1.3MW which excludes the 1000kW ACEC solar field near Strawberry Point.
- Since the inception of the CCED in 2015 the amount of solar in Clayton County has increased 400% to 1.3MW of solar!
| Year | # of Installments | Total KW | Cumulative Installments | Cumulative KW |
| 2010 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 2011 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| 2013 | 6 | 100.3 | 8 | 112.3 |
| 2014 | 7 | 127.3 | 15 | 239.6 |
| 2015 | 8 | 109.4 | 23 | 349 |
| 2016 | 18 | 238.4 | 41 | 587.4 |
| 2017 | 12 | 188.4 | 53 | 775.8 |
| 2018 | 16 | 265.2 | 69 | 1041 |
| 2019 | 10 | 114.9 | 79 | 1155.9 |
| 2020 | 4 | 170.5 | 83 | 1326.4 |
| Total | 83 | 1326.4 | 83 | 1326.4 |
- Cool Congregation Program introduced to Clayton County churches: St Mary – Strawberry Point, St. Joseph – Elkader, St Peter – Garnavillo, St Mary – Guttenberg On site visits were conducted and the carbon footprint was measured via the Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) Cool Congregation calculator. CCED summer intern assessed the current energy usage and suggested potential sustainability measures to move these churches closer to their Cool Congregation certification
September 2020
- Lunch & Learn – Local Weather Patterns & Climate Change and what we can do about it
- CCED organizes a Clean Energy Tour
- CCED coaches (8) other Energy Districts on how to conduct a local Clean Energy Tour for Leaders (ongoing project through 12/2020)
- CCED is interviewed by KCTN radio about making a difference in Clayton County
- Continued development of LED technology curriculum for local 5th grade classrooms
October 2020
- Lunch & Learn – West Union’s Shared Geothermal System, Can this work in other communities?
- One on one meeting with US Senate candidate Theresa Greenfield – intro to Energy Districts
- Virtual Clean Energy Tour for Leaders hosted 15 local leaders and candidates for office Tour Stops: City of Marquette community owned solar, Cool Congregation St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Elkader; EV cars & the coming charging stations & county tourism
- CCED celebrates National Energy Efficiency Day
- CCED receives a $50,175 award for the Public EV Charging Station project from the Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation
November 2020
- Began planning for learning session with US Congresswoman elect IA1 – Ashley Hinson
- The CCED orders (5) Blink Network EV charging stations. One for Guttenberg, Marquette, McGregor, Strawberry Point and Elkader
- The CCED plans a joint learning session with the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa to discuss the emerging Ratepayer Bill of Rights
December 2020
- Joint Energy District, online Ratepayer Bill of Rights Lunch and Learn
- Hosted a December Lunch & Learn EV Charging and Clayton County’s Tourism Sector
- Countywide Xmas Light collection sites
- Conducts the Green Meets Green Annual Appeal Goal $10,000 for operational funds
- Supplies LED’s to Xmas basket distribution at 3 county charity events
2019
As a result of The First Step Home Efficiency Program
150 homes assessed and counting!
2703 LED bulb replacements
$12,500 saved on lighting bill
$3680 water bill savings
146 ton CO2 emmission reduction
$140/household savings
$16,238 total household energy bill savings/yr