Wednesday is “Energy Efficiency Day” and South Sioux City has a variety of projects that use alternative forms of energy to power the city.
South Sioux City has a goal to be the greenest city in Nebraska.
City Administrator Lance Hedquist says over half of the city’s energy now comes from renewable sources:
OC…..coal and nuclear. :26
South Sioux is the only city in Nebraska with financial support from Tesla, as well as with Tesla-owned solar panels.
The city has a 21 acre solar energy farm where Tesla’s 1,200 solar
panels soak up sunlight.
Hedquist says the city is building a $1.8 million battery storage facility that will be charged from their solar field.
OC……..taxpayers money. ;18
That project is the first of its kind between North Dakota and Texas and should be operational sometime this winter.
The city also operates four electric cars:
OC……….get that done. :18
Hedquist says the city also plans to increase its purchases of wind energy, because those prices are now lower than they have been in the past.