MidAmerican Energy’s renewable energy claims are misleading, green groups say

Environmental groups are accusing Warren Buffett’s MidAmerican Energy of misleading the public, citing the company’s claims that it supplies customers with 100% renewable energy while operating several coal-fired power plants.

The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) and the Iowa Environmental Council made this argument in comments to the Iowa Utilities Board last week. The claim, which MidAmerican disputes, sheds light on how utilities report on their energy supply mix, as many set goals to achieve 100% renewable energy or net zero carbon emissions.

The groups’ documents show that in 2022, MidAmerican generated 23 percent of its energy by burning fossil fuels. However, in a September 2023 news release, the utility said it delivered “100% renewable energy to Iowa customers last year.”

Josh Mandelbaum, ELPC senior attorney and Des Moines City Council member, said a 2017 rule that was supposed to provide independent verification of utility companies’ renewable energy claims instead serves to legitimize them. The Iowa Utilities Board has proposed repealing a rule that requires regulators to look at how much of the energy supplied by utilities comes from renewable sources.