Add as a preferred source on Google

Iowa State University Finishes Construction of On-Campus Solar Farm

  • By Matt Jones
  • 10/26/23

Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, recently gained a new 1,375-MW solar farm on its campus through a partnership with Alliant Energy, according to a news release. Alliant installed 3,300 solar panels on campus that will generate energy and provide opportunities for education, agriculture research, and more. The facility is set up across 10 acres used for the university’s animal science teaching and research farms.

“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,” said Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen. “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.”

The farm is also part of the Alliant Energy Customer-Hosted Renewables program, which generates credits that the university can use to offset a portion of its carbon emissions. The university has also received a $1.8-million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy that will allow university researchers to raise bees and plant fruits and vegetables in the space. Researchers will create and maintain a pollinator habitat to study the impact of energy generation on beekeeping and horticultural production, the news release reports.

“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,” said Mayuri Farlinger, vice president of customer and community engagement at Alliant Energy. “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.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • California K–12 District Opens New Athletic Complex, Gym

    The San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) in San Mateo, Calif., recently announced the completion of two new athletics facilities: a new gymnasium at Burlingame High School, and a new athletic training complex at San Mateo High School, according to a news release.

  • Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

    Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility.

  • North Dakota State University Completes Music School Renovation

    North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., recently announced that construction on the Challey School of Music has finished, according to a news release. The university partnered with Foss Architecture & Interiors for design and Kraus-Anderson for construction services, and construction began in July 2024.

Digital Edition