SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / IA / Clarke

Clarke County, IA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

67.8
Risk Grade
Poor
Active solar moratorium adopted Dec 16, 2024; prior wind moratorium since Jun 2023; southern Iowa agricultural community; supervisors Randy Dunbar and Dean Robins actively engaged in anti-large-energy policy discussions
Assessment Snapshot
Population
9,395
State Rank
#24
Compliance
55%
Trajectory
55

Moratorium Status

⚠ Active Moratorium
Active — Temporary Moratorium (Dec 16, 2024)

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified. No confirmed county-specific solar ordinance.
Zoning Mechanism
Clarke County Planning & Zoning: CUP/SUP in Agricultural district.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Generally receptive — agricultural community
Basis for Assessment
S Iowa agricultural; Osceola area; active solar; local CUP; I-35 corridor
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Randy Dunbar | R | Supervisor | Dean Robins | R | Supervisor | Board of Supervisors | 3 members | Osceola, Iowa | 4-yr staggered terms | Partisan elections

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
MISO / MidAmerican Energy (MEC) zone
Utilities
MidAmerican Energy, Southern Iowa Electric Coop
State Permitting Process
Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) generating certificate required for projects ≥25 MW (Iowa Code §478). Projects <25 MW: local CUP/SUP under county/township zoning governs. No statewide preemption of local ordinances — Iowa is a strong local-control state. County boards have full authority to restrict or deny solar below 25 MW threshold. Active local opposition movement in many agricultural counties; several moratoriums and restrictive ordinances enacted 2021–2024. IUB certificate does not override local zoning for sub-25 MW projects. MISO interconnection territory statewide.
State Incentives
Iowa Renewable Energy Standard: minimal (105 MW aggregate mandate met since late 1990s). Net metering: IUC-regulated utilities (MidAmerican Energy, Alliant IPL) offer net metering under Iowa Code §476A; programs vary by cooperative. Property tax exemption: 5-year exemption for solar equipment added via IA Code §427B.26. MidAmerican Energy planning 800 MW new solar at ~6 IA sites by 2028 (filed IUC Feb 17 2025). Utility: MidAmerican Energy serves Des Moines metro, western/central IA; Alliant Energy/IPL serves eastern/southern IA; rural areas served by 60+ electric cooperatives.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Clarke County (Osceola area), south-central Iowa. MidAmerican Energy serves. Southern Iowa border county adjacent to Missouri. Agricultural solar active.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
Unnamed solar projects | Multiple | Temporary moratorium | Dec 2024 | Reason: Board of supervisors approved temporary moratorium on commercial solar construction

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Last verified: Mar 2026 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes