Access Energy Cooperative and solar
Access Energy Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 8,890 homes in Iowa. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.4¢9% above Iowa average
- Typical bill
- $1691,098 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 19.8 yrs4.8 kW, cash
Export rules for Access Energy Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Iowa rule).
Iowa's two investor-owned utilities (MidAmerican and Alliant) credit solar exports at the retail energy rate through net billing or inflow-outflow billing. Customers who connect before a future value-of-solar rate takes effect (by July 2027 at the latest) keep retail-rate export credit for 20 years.
Solar for a typical Access Energy Cooperative home
| System | 4.8 kW (50% of 1,098 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,100 |
| First-year savings | $1,009 |
| Payback | 19.8 years |
| 25-year net | $5,598 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 8,890
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Access Energy Cooperative and solar
Does Access Energy Cooperative have net metering?
Access Energy Cooperative follows Iowa's rules: Iowa's two investor-owned utilities (MidAmerican and Alliant) credit solar exports at the retail energy rate through net billing or inflow-outflow billing. Customers who connect before a future value-of-solar rate takes effect (by July 2027 at the latest) keep retail-rate export credit for 20 years.
How much does electricity cost with Access Energy Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,098 kWh a month, a bill of about $169.
Is solar worth it with Access Energy Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.8 kW system costing about $19,100 pays back in about 19.8 years, with $5,598 net over 25 years.
How many Access Energy Cooperative customers have solar?
Access Energy Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Access Energy Coop (EIA ID 16611). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.