Cedar Rapids- A Cedar Rapids state lawmaker is receiving a statewide environmental award. But State Senator Rob Hogg is using this time in the spotlight for another purpose as well.

On Friday, Hogg issued a call for new renewable energy standards in the state--with a prediction such rules could add 5,000 new "green" jobs in Iowa.

Hogg will receive the Iowa Sierra Club's "Public Servant of the Year" honor in a ceremony Saturday. But he also wanted to use the occasion to discuss the proposed mandates.

Hogg plans to introduce legislation this session to require 25 percent of all Iowa electricity comes from renewable sources by the year 2025.

Hogg said "obviously we'll have to work with the utilities on this proposal. But I think there's a lot of renewable energy--we know green house gas regulations are coming and this will position our state well."

Hogg said Iowa law currently requires utilities to only use two percent renewable energy now. But utilities are voluntarily at about the seven percent mark. The push for wind power is responsible for the higher than required figures.

But Hogg also wants to use other sources for renewable energy. His proposal calls for a specific amount of bio-mass energy--such as that produced by ethanol plants. And he'd require a small portion from methane as well. Several pilot plans already use animal waste to produce methane gas on farms.

As an interim step, Hogg is calling for a 14 percent renewable energy figure by the year 2014 and 20 percent by the year 2020.