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CLEAN ENERGY INSIDER
August 18, 2026

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Last week I was fortunate to spend a full week in Iowa, covering I-80 from West Branch to Des Moines and visiting many of my favorite local spots — including our nation’s best state fair.

I kicked off the week in West Branch, a small town best known as the birthplace of Herbert Hoover, but also home to Nordex USA, Inc., a major wind turbine manufacturing facility. After 12 idle years, Nordex restarted operations during the summer of 2024, thanks in no small part to federal tax credits which support the development of domestic energy manufacturing.

I was thrilled to join Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) on the tour of the facility, learning firsthand how the turbine parts are pushed through production and the impact the facility continues to have on the West Branch community. Right now, Nordex supports just over 100 employees on site but expects to triple that number with increased production over the next few years — which is even more impressive when you consider West Branch is a town of about 3,000 people.

Later in the week, I helped to facilitate “Farmfluencers Day" at the Iowa State Fair, which opened an opportunity for leaders in the agriculture and energy spaces to mingle with state, local and federal representatives and have an honest conversation about how the two sectors are connected. We were pleased to be joined by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Ashley Hinson who outlined their efforts to pursue common sense energy solutions, including — hopefully — comprehensive permitting reform progress by the end of the year.

Iowa continues to demonstrate how an all-of-the-above energy approach can unlock American energy dominance. With resources ranging from wind, solar and ethanol, to the soon-to-be rejuvenated nuclear facility near Palo, the Hawkeye State has truly taken advantage of all forms of homegrown energy. As we advocate for responsible energy solutions together, let’s remember Iowa as a blueprint for success.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Sincerely,
Mary Collins Howell
Vice President of Communications

WHAT CRES IS HEARING

“A strong domestic mining and minerals workforce is essential to powering America's future, strengthening our national security, and ending our dependence on foreign adversaries for the materials that underpin modern energy, manufacturing, and defense. Through the PROSPECT initiative, the Department is investing in the next generation of American engineers, scientists, and skilled workers who will help unleash American energy and ensure the United States remains the world's leading energy powerhouse.” – Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement ([link removed]) .
“If someone goes through all of the effort to jump through all of the different hoops to get a federal permit to build some of these big infrastructure projects that we need, we want to make sure that that permit is durable across administrations... We want a level playing field for all safe, affordable, and reliable energy.” – Rep. Gabe Evans said in an interview ([link removed]) .
“American workers and businesses should not be held back by unnecessary red tape that prevents them from making investments that improve efficiency and protect our environment. [The New Source Review Permitting Act] will bring clarity to the permitting process, unleash innovation and help ensure American industry remains the global leader.” – Sen. Jon Husted said in a statement ([link removed]) .
WHAT CRES IS DOING

CRES Forum Tours Nordex Facility in West Branch, Iowa
CRES Forum Vice President of Communications, Mary Collins Howell, joined Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) for a tour of Nordex USA's wind turbine manufacturing facility in West Branch, Iowa, which restarted operations in the summer of 2024. With production expected to increase, Nordex anticipates tripling their workforce onsite, further demonstrating the economic impact of energy projects.
CRES Forum Joins “Farmfluencers at the Fair”
CRES Forum Vice President of Communications, Mary Collins Howell, joined Farmfluencers at the Fair,” a one-day event at the Iowa State Fair bringing together top digital creators, industry voices and policymakers to highlight the people, innovations and policy shaping American agriculture and energy policy. Throughout the day, attendees heard directly from Reps. Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
CRES Forum Tours MidAmerican Facility at the Iowa State Fair
CRES Forum Vice President of Communications, Mary Collins Howell, joined Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) for an onsite tour of the MidAmerican Energy wind turbine and executive facility at the Iowa State Fair. The tour outlined the importance of American manufacturing to support homegrown energy and the ongoing partnerships between MidAmerican and Iowa’s agricultural industry.

WHAT CRES IS WRITING

State Spotlight: Virginia’s Coastal Offshore Wind Farm Starts ([link removed])
CRES Forum published a blog spotlighting the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project off the coast of Virginia Beach. The project's first turbines began delivering electricity to Virginia's grid in March 2026, making CVOW the largest offshore wind project in the United States. Once all 176 turbines are installed, it will generate up to 2.6 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power roughly 660,000 homes. As AI, data centers and advanced manufacturing drive new electricity demand, CVOW shows how offshore wind can play an essential role alongside other energy resources in meeting it. Read the full blog here ([link removed]) .

CRES Forum Event Recap: Utah Energy Roundtable and Site Tour with Rep. Celeste Maloy ([link removed])

CRES Forum published a recap of its site tour and roundtable with Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), covering the 75-megawatt Horseshoe Solar Project, with solar developer DESRI, and a discussion on meeting Utah's rising energy demand. The piece dives into the roundtable's key themes: permitting certainty and the need for expanded transmission to get new generation where it's needed. Read the blog here ([link removed]) .

WHAT CRES IS READING

Senate releases ‘reconciliation 3.0’ outline with energy section ([link removed]) - E&E News

Nuclear waste delivers a political haymaker. Five states say it can be done. ([link removed]) - E&E News

Democratic governors turn to nuclear power as response to energy crunch ([link removed]) - E&E News

So Much Solar: Digging Into the List of Every US Power Plant That Went Online This Year ([link removed]) - Inside Climate News

4 loose ends as Congress enters August recess ([link removed]) - The Hill

Op-Ed: Steve Crim: America needs more power. We should build it at home. ([link removed]) - Washington Reporter

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