House Bill 81 will expand energy choices, lower energy costs, and strengthen the energy grid for all ratepayers
(DES MOINES, IA) — Yesterday, HSB 81, which would establish a new community solar program in Iowa, passed out of the House Commerce Committee unanimously (23-0) – a week after passing unanimously out of Subcommittee (3-0). The legislation sponsored by House Commerce Chair Shannon Lundgren will now go before the Iowa legislature’s full House.
This legislation, which will soon be accompanied by a companion bill in the Senate, will establish a new energy program that will provide Iowa families with more choices and lower costs when it comes to their utility bills. It will also expand economic opportunity across the state, including for small family farmers who can install projects without compromising their crops.
“Our Community Solar initiative provides Iowans with more affordable energy options, serving as one component of a broader, holistic energy strategy,” said House Representative Hans Wilz. “By implementing this solution, we aim to generate cost savings for Iowans. Additionally, its smaller scale makes it well-suited for brownfield spaces, underutilized areas that currently have no other viable uses, maximizing efficiency and sustainability.”
Community solar is an energy solution that empowers anyone with an electric bill to choose affordable, locally generated solar power, encouraging new competition in the energy market, providing more energy choices for consumers, and strengthening the grid for all. Individuals, local businesses, schools, and other subscribers sign up for a certain amount of energy from a project and then receive a credit on their energy bill, providing guaranteed bill savings.
“In addition to lowering monthly bills, this program will encourage economic development, create jobs, support family farms, and be the foundation for a homegrown energy industry that will have a real impact on our local communities,” said Nick Boeyink, Executive Director of the Iowa Conservative Energy Forum (ICEF), an Iowa-based organization that promotes clean energy as part of an all of the above approach to energy independence.
Community solar can exist on ground mounts, alongside existing crops or farmland, on building rooftops, or otherwise unusable land. When on farmland, community solar is installed in a way that preserves that land for future agricultural use, helping to protect family farms. Leases on underutilized land before and after projects are installed, creating a consistent income stream year-round. Locally produced energy also means more reliable energy for the farmers and their neighbors.
“Iowa lawmakers just sent a powerful message: community solar isn’t about politics, it’s about common sense,” said Matthew Hargarten, Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA). “Today’s unanimous vote shows that expanding access to affordable, locally produced energy is a win for consumers, farmers, and businesses alike. Now we urge the full legislature to keep the momentum going and make community solar a reality for Iowans.”
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About CCSA: The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) is a national trade association representing over 125 community solar developers, businesses, and nonprofits. Together, we are building the electric grid of the future where every customer has the freedom to support the generation of clean, local solar energy to power their lives. Through legislative and regulatory advocacy, and the support of a diverse coalition — including advocates for competition, clean energy, ratepayers, landowners, farmers, and environmental justice — we enable policies that unlock the potential of distributed energy resources, starting with community solar. For more information, visit https://www.communitysolaraccess.org and follow the group on Twitter (X), LinkedIn, and YouTube.