Iowa’s largest utility aims to produce only renewable energy

Iowa’s largest utility is in the midst of a $3.6 billion investment in wind power and intends to keep spending on the towers with a goal of producing 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources.

The Des Moines Register reports that MidAmerican Energy plans to build 1,000 more turbines over the next couple of years on top of the more than 2,000 it already has around the state. When completed, the utility’s share of its energy that comes from renewable sources will jump from 55 percent to nearly 90 percent.

CEO Bill Fehrman says it’ll take about $2 billion and 550 turbines more to bring MidAmerican close to 100 percent.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance analyst Daniel Shurey says the move would set a new precedent in the country.