Iowa State University, Alliant Energy conclude construction of new solar farm

A joint project between Iowa State University and Alliant Energy finished up work last week, providing a new solar farm that will not only generate energy, but provide opportunities for agriculture research, education and more.

Alliant Energy designed and constructed the 1,375 MW solar farm through a lease agreement with ISU, deploying 3,300 solar panels on campus grounds. It was entered into the company’s Alliant Energy Customer-Hosted Renewables program to generate credits with which the university can offset part of its carbon emissions, and will provide agrivoltaics opportunities for both research and education on-site.

“The Alliant Energy Solar Farm at Iowa State University represents an innovative public-private partnership that broadens our portfolio of renewable energy used to power the university,” Wendy Wintersteen, president of Iowa State University, said. “Thanks to our Alliant Energy partners, the solar farm also will serve as a one-of-a-kind agricultural setting for our faculty, staff and students to explore solar energy topics through research, education and extension and outreach.”

In all, the facility covers 10 acres of university land already used for animal science teaching and research farms. Beef, sheep, swine, poultry and dairy farms span the areas, along with the only student-managed farm at the nation’s land-grant schools. A $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will also allow ISU researchers to raise bees and plant vegetables and fruits over the coming years. This will generate a pollinator habitat which researchers will maintain for four years, as a way to study the impacts of energy generation on both horticultural groups and beekeeping production.

“The Alliant Energy Solar Farm at ISU is our company’s first customer-hosted solar project to complete construction in Iowa, as well as the first to incorporate agrivoltaics,” Mayuri Farlinger, vice president of customer and community engagement at Alliant Energy, said. “We are proud this solar farm will advance the concept of agrivoltaics – that land can be used for energy production and agriculture, simultaneously. This project advances our mission to deliver the energy solutions our customers and communities can count on in a unique way.”