A new study says Iowans could save millions of dollars if state officials mandate that 10-percent of the state’s energy come from the wind. Tom Wind is an analyst for the American Wind Energy Association.Wind says the analysis shows Iowa could save 300-million dollars in electricity costs over a 30-year period. The State Department of Natural Resources is suggesting the state begin by requiring four-percent of the state’s energy come from renewable resources by 2005. Wind says it’s important to enact the mandate to give companies a push to develop the alternative energy sources.D-N-R spokesman Larry Bean says renewable energy has many benefits.Bean says Iowa should take advantage of the resources it has here.The report says mandating the use of renewable resources would lead to a 33-cent per month increase in cost to consumers in the first 10 years. It says consumers would see rates fall by about 67-cents per month after that.
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