How Time-Of-Use Rates Help The Environment
Time-of-Use (TOU) electric rates benefit both customers and the utility by shifting energy use away from expensive, high demand periods while giving consumers control over electric bills.
TOU rates also have a positive impact on our environment. When shifting energy usage outside of on-peak hours, the regional grid experiences less stress. By lowering the strain on the electrical grid, it avoids the start-up of peaker generation units. These are generation units that are designed to generate electricity when the grid is approaching high power demand often occurring on hot summer days or cold winter mornings.
Peaker units or plants are typically less fuel-efficient and produce higher levels of pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, per unit of electricity generated compared to baseload power plants.
To learn more about TOU rates call energy services at 515-239-5177. And remember, even if TOU rates aren’t for you, shifting energy use to off-peak can make a meaningful impact in reducing emissions.
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See us at the Ames Farmers' Market This Summer!
Visit your local utility at the Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market on select Saturdays this summer! Stop by for news, updates, and information on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and more!
Bring your questions about utility billing, Smart Energy programs, summer savings, and anything else you’d like to know about your energy service. We look forward to seeing you!
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Apply For a Community Climate Grant
Grants of up to $10,000 are available to organizations in Ames for projects or activities that meaningfully advance the City of Ames Climate Action Plan by:
- Reducing energy use
- Encouraging low-emissions transportation
- Reducing waste
- Conserving water
- Utilizing nature-based solutions
Applications are due Tuesday, June 30, to be awarded in early August.
Coming Soon: Solar Power Generator Trailer
The City of Ames continues to advance its commitment to sustainability and emergency preparedness. City Council recently approved the purchase of a 12 kW Solar Power Generator Trailer.
The objective of the trailer is to provide clean, reliable power to support operations during power outages, in severe storms, or in emergency response situations. The unit will provide power to charge electronics or vehicles and could be used as a cooling or warming station.
The purchase is made possible in large part by a $37,000 grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Community Energy Resilience Program. This program was specifically designed to help Iowa communities develop portable renewable energy solutions.
R3C Groundbreaking Planned
The public is welcome to attend a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Resource Recovery and Recycling Center (R3C) planned for 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 9 at the project site, 220 Freel Drive. The new facility represents a transformational step forward in how our community handles waste, recycling, and environmental stewardship.
Located on 9.5 acres along Freel Drive, the future R3C facility will replace the City’s long-standing waste-to-energy system. The modernized campus will serve as a central location for municipal solid waste (MSW), recyclables (both separated and commingled), and yard waste. This updated approach is designed to enhance efficiency, increase recycling opportunities, and support a more sustainable future for Ames and participating communities.
On March 10, the Ames City Council approved a contract with Aspen Waste Systems to provide a residential curbside recycling collection program. The program will begin July 1. Aspen provided pricing for each of the partnering communities in the Resource Recovery System to obtain similar collection services, at the option of each community.
The votes are in. Ames’ new recycling carts will be royal BLUE!
Over 14,000 carts are currently being manufactured and will be delivered throughout June to single-family homes and residential buildings with up to four units.
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Upcoming Events
Get engaged with sustainability in your community by participating in these upcoming events. We’ll see you there!
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Sustainability Needs Community
When people think about sustainability in Ames, especially at the local government level, they often think mainly about policies. While policies are important, sustainability in Ames is also about the community. Sustainable practices help residents benefit in the long term and also help people feel good about living in a city that cares about the environment.
In addition to creating policies that support the Climate Action Plan, the City works closely with local community groups in Ames who care about sustainability. These groups want to see the Climate Action Plan not only followed, but also successfully completed. Many of them also work on their own projects to improve sustainability in the city.
One of these groups is the Ames Climate Action Team. This grassroots organization began in 2018 and works closely with City staff to support the Climate Action Plan. The group also advocates for a “resilient, inclusive, equitable, and vibrant future” for the Ames, Iowa State University, and Story County communities.
Another local group that works closely with the City of Ames is Pollinator Friendly Ames. This group is a partnership between the City of Ames, Prairie Rivers of Iowa, and interested community members. They follow a 10‑year plan to help make Ames a pollinator‑friendly community. Their work focuses on increasing native habitat, tracking pollinator populations, and improving the environment so pollinators can survive and thrive in Ames.
These community groups are committed to sustainability in Ames and play an important role in moving both local policies and the city as a whole toward a more sustainable future.
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Upcoming Tree Planting Events
There are two exciting opportunities this spring to help grow our city’s canopy. Whether you're a seasoned planter or a first-timer, we’d love to have your help!
Event 1: Official Ames Arbor Day Celebration
Celebrate Arbor Day by helping us plant 70 trees in the Welbeck and Brickman neighborhoods. This project is made possible by a grant from the Iowa DNR and the USDA Forest Service.
Event 2: Neighborhood Canopy Boost
Help us add 35 trees to the landscape along Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Idaho Avenues. This event is supported by Trees Forever, Alliant Energy, and The Ames Foundation.
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Ames Public Library Joins National Sustainable Libraries Initiative
Ames Public Library has recently formed a Sustainability Team and joined the national Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI)!
What is the SLI? It is a nationwide group that helps libraries become leaders in protecting our resources. Its main goals are to help libraries deal with climate change and make neighborhoods better places to live.
What are the main benefits of joining the SLI?
- The Certification Program: A step-by-step plan that teaches libraries how to be "greener" and fairer to everyone. We at Ames Public Library have been working at completing these steps and plan to spend the next couple years using this framework to examine and improve the sustainability of our practices.
- "Green" Toolkit: Exclusive tools and guides to help us stop wasting resources and start using cleaner energy.
- Teamwork: The SLI believes that we have to work together to accomplish our goals. We are building a community of library workers who share ideas on how to make more sustainable choices.
The SLI is supporting libraries to be more than just places for books—libraries can be examples of how to take care of our world and each other.
Earth Day on the Airwaves
 Through a partnership between the City of Ames, ISU Office of Sustainability, and KHOI Community Radio, the “Earth Day on the Airwaves” event will be broadcast from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 18. The event will include updates on City of Ames projects and Iowa State University sustainability initiatives.
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