Free Solar Power Hour event May 26 at Big Grove Iowa City

The City of Iowa City, in partnership with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) and the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG), will be hosting a free Solar Power Hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at the Big Grove Iowa City Taproom.

The event is an opportunity for residents, business owners, and community organizations to learn more about the basics of rooftop and ground-mounted solar arrays, how they connect to the grid and get credited on utility bills, and how the Grow Solar East Central Iowa group buy program can help lower installation costs.

The Solar Power Hour is free. Those interested in signing up for a solar site assessment for their home, business, or organization will have an opportunity to do so; there is no obligation to participate in the Grow Solar program.

Attendees of the event will also have a chance to win a free solar phone charger as a door prize.

Other partners in the Grow Solar East Central Iowa group buy program include The Nature Conservancy, 1000 Friends of Iowa, and the City of Cedar Rapids. The program builds on the previous Grow Solar Linn and Johnson County program, last held in 2021.

"We're excited to bring the program back to Eastern Iowa and help residents learn how they can unlock savings with solar and hedge against rising energy prices," says Emily Kavanagh, Climate & External Affairs Associate at The Nature Conservancy.

More information on the program and additional Solar Power Hour presentations in the area can be found at GrowSolar.org/eci or by contacting Sarah Gardner, Climate Action Coordinator for the City of Iowa City, at [email protected].