Rather than make arguments about the environmental benefits of solar energy, Dwight stuck to the economic reasons for developing policies that will boost the production of solar energy as well as the technology needed for production. Renewable energy, he said, "will pull us out of this economic slump."

"This is business," said Dwight, who played 10 seasons in the NFL after leaving the University of Iowa where he was a consensus All-American receiver and kick returner. "This isn't about saving the planet. This is about business and jobs."

Iowa's neighbors have done more to promote solar energy, Dwight said.

"This industry's growing all over the world and if we have all these engineers and all these laborers that don't have an industry to work in, where are they going to go?" he said. "They're going to go out of state."

With the right policies, Iowa could enjoy "monster job growth," he said.

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