203rd largest plant in Iowa · 8379th nationally
Neal Energy Center Solar is a solar power plant in Iowa with a nameplate capacity of 4.0 MW. It generates roughly 7.3k MWh per year — enough to power about 698 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 21% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Neal Energy Center Solar |
|---|---|
| Operator | Midamerican Energy Co |
| City | Salix |
| County | Woodbury County |
| State | Iowa |
| ZIP | 51052 |
| Coordinates | 42.33304, -96.34822 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NECS | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 4.0 MW | Operating | 2022 |
| NERC Region | MRO |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.. |
Utility-scale solar farms convert sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic panels. They produce zero direct emissions and have no fuel cost, but generation is variable — peaking at midday and falling to zero at night. Capacity factors typically run 18–28% in good locations.