Iowa Climate Statement 2026 report details need for sustainable energy sources

The Iowa Climate Statement has advised the state of Iowa to continue its usage of renewable energy sources and to avoid the use of non-renewable energy sources in the face of a growing need for power in the state.

The 16th annual meeting was a collaborative research project including over 180 climate and environmental researchers and educators and about 30 different institutions, colleges, and universities statewide.

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According to this year’s statement, Iowa has arrived at a “fork in the road” regarding the future of power generation in the state. Iowa can either continue on its current path, leading the nation in the share of wind and solar generation in electricity output, or it can focus on coal, gas, and other non-renewable energy sources.

During the meeting scientists said in recent years Iowa has become increasingly reliant on non-renewable sources of power for the use of AI and cloud storage data centers. 

Emma Stapleton Thornell, a research assistant professor at the University of Iowa, said this reliance increases emissions in the state, which can contribute to air quality issues and respiratory harm to residents.

“Fossil fuel emissions also continue to warm our planet. We see this in more intense heat waves, floods, wildfires, and other disasters,” Stapleton Thornell said during the meeting. 

As Iowa’s need for electricity grows, with some researchers predicting up to 30 percent in the next decade, the authors of the Climate Study brought forward a solution to harness the massive potential of Iowa’s power needs: sustainable energy.

David Courard-Hauri, a professor of environmental science and sustainability at Drake University, said as the state increases its electricity generation to primarily fuel power centers and other new innovations, it will have to make a decision on the future of the state’s energy production and consumption. 

“Every stakeholder needs to advocate for cheaper, cleaner, and more efficient sources of energy, because that’s the Iowa way of doing things,” Courard-Hauri said during the meeting.