CFU Supports Energy Produced from Renewable Resources

Sustainable and Reliable Service

At Cedar Falls Utilities we believe in making smart energy choices for our community.

Strong customer partnerships to reduce energy consumption and the growth of alternative energy in the Iowa energy market mean our community’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions have shrunk considerably. 

In 2020 the CFU local Board of Trustees set emissions reduction goals for CFU provided energy sources. Our goal is to reduce CO2 equivalent emissions 45% from 2010 levels by 2030. We are well on our way. In 2022 total CFU CO2 equivalent emissions were 33% less than a decade ago. CFU’s long-term goal for electric generation is to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

CFU is supportive of the wind and solar energy available in Iowa today and welcomes future additions. While the energy market shifts to renewable technology, controllable, fuel-based generation continues to be important to ensure customers have affordable energy when they need it. 

We are doing our part by preserving traditional generation and investigating new resources that can help facilitate a smart transition to renewable energy.

In 2022, 65% of the energy produced in the regional power market and distributed in Cedar Falls was generated by renewable resources.

CFU purchases most of the electricity used in Cedar Falls through a regional energy market. The energy generated by nearly all of the wind turbines, solar fields and fossil fuel plants in Iowa flows into that power market daily. Today that energy is largely renewable. Energy produced from renewable resources is up from just 26% ten years ago.

Cedar Falls Utilities has invested nearly $3.6 million in rebates and efficiency projects over the last five years to help our community use less energy and save customers money.

Strong customer partnerships reduce energy consumption. In 2022, more than $480,000 was invested to help customers improve energy efficiency. This reduced community greenhouse gas emissions by 1,737 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions which is equal to the carbon footprint of 201 homes. These projects will save 21,953,267 kWh over their lifetime which is enough electricity to power 2,173 homes for one year. Projects in 2022 also saved 1,371,310 THERMS which is enough natural gas to heat 1,909 homes for one year.