
Entrepreneuza: Clean Energy
The event is part of CDG’s ongoing “Entrepreneuza” series. Bob Rafferty will be speaking from Iowa Business for Clean Energy.
Having access to low cost, clean electricity is critical for Iowa’s economic future. As transportation electrifies and companies look for cost-effective ways to lower their carbon footprint, access to low cost, clean energy becomes an even larger competitive factor.
Unfortunately, Iowa’s approach to managing the electric grid is decades old and it is not designed for the grid of the future. While complicated, in a nutshell, investor-owned utilities are allowed to make profits based on how much they invest in capital improvements, not on how efficiently the system operates. This centralized approach fails to address the needs of the electric grid of the future. Bob Rafferty, executive director of Iowa Business for Clean Energy, will discuss how the current incentive structure creates a disincentive for a low-cost, clean energy future, and he will discuss strategies that other states are using to ensure a more efficient grid.
For more information on Iowa Business for Clean Energy, you can visit www.iowacleanenergy.org.
The Entrepreneuza series is always free and open to the public, however those planning to attend should respond to Joe Jennison, for food planning purposes. To RSVP or for more information, contact Joe Jennison, CDG Director, at (319) 210-9935 or through email at director@visitmvl.com
About the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group
The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group exists to improve the social and economic well-being of Mount Vernon and Lisbon by capitalizing on their unique identity, assets and character. Mount Vernon was selected as a Main Street community in 2008, and practices economic development within the context of historic preservation.
About Main Street
The Main Street Approach is a copyrighted process of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Program has been used in Iowa since 1986 with a total of 56 communities having participated. Mount Vernon was selected as a Main Street community on March 4, 2008 by the State of Iowa, after submitting a comprehensive application and presenting to a select board of reviewers.