Here's an AP story on the study's release, as printed in my local
newspaper...

Patrick Bosold

Study: Alternative Energy Brings Savings
By: Mike Glover, Associated Press writer
As published in the Fairfield Ledger on Tuesday, March 5, 2002

DES MOINES (AP) - Alternative energy proposals already in place could save
Iowa consumers $27.5 million if fully implemented, a study released Tuesday
said.

"This is a serious illustration that both actual and potential alternatives
to energy production can and do leave a big economic footprint in the
 state," said David Swenson, an Iowa State University researcher.

While alternative energy supporters cite environmental and other benefits,
the latest study looked exclusively at the economic benefits of alternative
energy.

Wind energy tops the list.  The state has 650 medium- or large-scale wind
turbines either in operation or under development, which could produce 3.6
percent of the electricity generated in the state.  The spin-offs from this
type of power generation are greater because the money is spent in Iowa, and
not out of state, the study found.  Current plans to augment coal-fired
electrical generation with the use of switchgrass as a fuel also could
increase the amount of energy spending in the state, cutting down the amount
of dollars flowing out of state.

Combining the proposals could lead to saving 1.8 million tons of coal a
year, virtually all of it purchased outside the state, the study concluded.

Swenson is an economist at ISU, but the study was not conducted under the
University's auspices.  It was sponsored by the Iowa Policy Project, a Mount
Vernon-based liberal think tank.

"Reducing the amount of out-of-state coal purchased by Iowa utilities is
more than an environmental issue," said David Osterberg, head of the group.
"This study demonstrates there are economic reasons to use renewable energy
sources right here at home."

The study concludes that savings from use of alternative energy sources
channel about $53 million into the state's economy.  It recommends
increasing the amount of alternative energy that utilities are required to
purchase and additional tax credits for producing alternative energy. It
also recommends including land used to grow switchgrass in the conservation
reserve program, which could help encourage farmers to plant switchgrass
rather than corn and soybeans.

On the Net: Iowa Policy Project: http://www.iowapolicyproject.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Debbie Neustadt" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, March 08, 2002 7:00 AM
Subject: from State Senator Joe Bolkcom- Renewable energy study released


> **************************************
> Renewable Energy Study Released
>
> This week the Iowa Policy Project released a study on the economic
> benefits
> of the use of renewable energy in Iowa. The study reports that
> development
> of alternative energy sources in Iowa will create jobs, keep Iowa
> dollars in
> the state and reduce the state's dependence on out-of-state coal. The
> study
> can be downloaded from the Iowa Policy Project website at
> http://www.iowapolicyproject.org/reports/020305-energy.pdf.
>
> **************************************
>
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