WINDSOR HEIGHTS — On Monday, October 17, 2022, the Windsor Heights City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution to reach community-wide carbon-free electricity by the year 2030. Windsor Heights joins Des Moines and Waterloo as the third city in Iowa to commit to 24/7 carbon-free electricity — the first city in Iowa to do so with a target of 2030 — and the fifth nationwide.
With a 24/7 carbon-free electricity goal, Windsor Heights seeks for the entire community to be powered by emission-free clean energy sources like wind and solar, around-the-clock, rather than relying on the current generation mix of sources that includes coal-fired power plants.
The proposal was introduced by Mayor Mike Jones during the city council meeting on October 17. In addition to setting this 24/7 carbon-free electricity goal, the resolution also includes other local clean energy and climate solutions such as transitioning the City’s fleet to electric vehicles, installing electric vehicle charging stations at the city facilities, and encouraging energy efficiency to reduce energy usage and waste.
Sonita van der Leeuw, an organizer with the Iowa Environmental Council, presents remarks to the city council.
“This resolution shows that cities of all sizes want a genuine 100% clean energy commitment, where a community can run on renewables around-the-clock, without coal and fossil fuels in the mix,” said Sonita van der Leeuw, an organizer with the Iowa Environmental Council. “We commend the Mayor, City Council, and local advocates who helped make Windsor Heights the latest Iowa community working toward 24/7 carbon-free electricity.”
