City sustainability staff and electric-utility leaders updated the Ames City Council on Aug. 5 about progress implementing the Climate Action Plan adopted two years earlier. Key points:
Renewable energy and utility strategy: The utility currently reports roughly 15% renewable energy in its portfolio from wind, solar and refuse-derived fuels. Staff said federal policy and tax-credit changes are changing the economics for large projects; the city is pursuing retail solar policy changes and increased customer rebates to accelerate rooftop adoption this year while federal incentives remain available.
Building retrofits and efficiency financing: Residential heat-pump rebates tripled in two years, and municipal staff are completing energy audits of the city’s 16 largest facilities to identify cost-effective retrofit and solar opportunities. Staff are evaluating a utility-led financing approach and a USDA rural-energy-savings program that would allow the utility to re-lend low-interest capital for customer efficiency projects.
Electrification and charging: The city has added 10 fully electric fleet vehicles and 19 hybrids and continues to study load and facility capacity for municipal fleet electrification. Ames received a bronze designation from the national “Charging Smart” program and is planning additional public and fleet chargers, with at least two City Hall chargers due in September and grant-driven fast-charging options under review.
Active transportation and waste: The city reported continued ridership strength for the transit system and progress on bike-ped investments (86 miles of infrastructure; $3 million planned in the next two years). Rummage Rampage, the city’s annual reuse event, has diverted hundreds of tons of material and will run later in August; staff also said recycling increased in 2024 after new drop-off facilities opened and that curbside recycling will be discussed at an upcoming council meeting.
Community programs and outreach: The city will host two AmeriCorps Green Iowa members starting in October to deliver weatherization and energy-audit services for low- and moderate-income households and hopes to weatherize roughly 70 homes in the first year. Staff also highlighted a new sustainability newsletter and a publicly available climate-action dashboard.
Why it matters
City and utility programs are shifting more incentives to customers (rebates, time-of-use rates, residential-solar programs), expanding municipal electrification, and examining financing tools and federal grant opportunities. Many of the initiatives are intended to reduce emissions while managing utility load and customer costs.
What’s next
Staff will conclude an energy-efficiency financing feasibility study this fall and expects to bring more detailed proposals on programs and on a potential curbside recycling option to council in upcoming meetings.