Clean Energy Economy News | Online edition
June 16, 2008 | Vol. 1, No. 5
This issue of Clean Energy Economy News offers a new format. The e-mail gives you a short summary of the stories. To read more, click on the forward link and visit the CLEER website, www.CleanEnergyEconomy.net.
CLEER hosted a very successful clean energy workshop last Friday. The event drew about 80 people from as far as Parachute, Eagle and Aspen for informative presentations. It also gave clean energy advocates a chance to meet each other and share notes. The room was still buzzing for 30 minutes after the workshop ended. Please stay tuned for our next steps and for ways you can get involved.
Thanks again to our workshop sponsors: Sunlight Mountain Resort, the City of Glenwood Springs, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, the Hot Springs Lodge & Pool, the Governor's Energy Office, Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association, CORE, Pitkin County and the City of Aspen.
Special thanks to Bob Millette and Maggie Pedersen and Glenwood Springs Cool Communities for serving tasty refreshments and making the workshop a zero-waste event.
— Heather McGregor, Editor
Clean Energy Economy News
In this issue
CLEER workshop yields 3-point proposal
for regional collaboration
Energy efficiency is key to economic development
Communities from Parachute to Aspen could launch a collaborative effort aimed at saving energy with three immediate actions, according to Craig Perkins, the keynote speaker at the “Advancing the Clean Energy Economy” workshop.
Perkins, executive director for The Energy Coalition, suggested three “nuts and bolts ideas” as a starting point for achieving bigger results in the future.
- Collaborate on an analysis of the region’s energy use and spending.
- Considerations in the building and permitting process for high performance buildings and renewable energy projects.
- Adopt energy standards for new construction that beat today’s state standards by 10 to 20 percent.
Learning the region’s carbon footprint would show the baseline of today’s energy use, and help identify opportunities for savings, Perkins said. It’s the only one of the three that would cost money, he noted.
The workshop also featured panelists Randy Udall, Dan Richardson of Schmueser Gordon Meyer, Seth Portner and Joani Matranga from the Governor’s Energy Office, and Auden Schendler of the Aspen Skiing Co. Richardson presented the results of a CLEER study on the regional energy spending bill. (See next article.)
Perkins suggested that local governments team up on a highly visible energy project, noting that Santa Monica put up solar panels to power its showcase Ferris wheel. A public project creates buzz and shows people what’s possible.
Perkins shared his observations from 20-plus years in energy work with the City of Santa Monica, Calif., and in his new position as executive director of The Energy Coalition, based in Irvine.
He is working with communities where residents pay $1,500-a-month electric bills for summer air conditioning. People want to conserve energy, he said. The hurdles are making energy retrofits for homes and businesses simple and affordable.
A demonstration project in Palm Desert aimed at cutting energy use by 30 percent over five years is expected to be one-third of the way to its goal by the end of 2008 — two years into the project. The pace will increase, Perkins said, with the passage this year of AB 811, a financing method tied to property tax.
Perkins said local governments are in the prime position to launch innovative projects and enact policies that will drive changes in energy use.
“You have to look at an integrated approach,” he noted. “It’s electricity, heating, transportation, solid waste. You have to look at the whole enchilada.”
Holy Cross Energy board member Hal Clark of Woody Creek noted that the regional electric utility is preparing for 15 to 20 percent rate increases. At the same time, its consumers purchased 11 percent more power in the 1st quarter of 2008 than a year earlier.
“I’d see that as an opportunity,” Perkins said. “Higher prices will give people more incentive to reduce their demand. If use is up, then their costs are up.”
California is spending millions to boost energy efficiency, and the state has the lowest per capita use of energy in the country. Efficiency, Perkins said, is valuable economic development.
“The Coachella Valley spends $1 billion a year on electricity and natural gas. Where else are you going to find a local economic development project that will save your region over $300 million a year?” Perkins asked, referring to Palm Desert’s 30 percent reduction goal. “These are dollars that can be grabbed, so you can keep them and use them for your own behalf.”
News coverage
Glenwood Springs Post Independent, June 14, 2007
Group says Glenwood Springs area could save $250 million
Clean Energy Economy for the Region discusses tools for advancing clean energy
By Pete Fowler
GLENWOOD SPRINGS — A local group estimates the region from Aspen to Parachute spends roughly $250 million or more a year on energy.
Perhaps almost a third of that could be saved by aggressive programs to reduce energy usage, experts suggested Friday.
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Regional energy spending bill
estimated to be at least $250 million
Colorado Energy Use and Spending, 2005
Energy consumed: 1,425.7 trillion BTUs *
State population: 4.67 million people
Per capita energy use: 305 million BTUs per year
Energy spending: $14.7 billion
Regional Energy Use and Spending
Parachute to Aspen, 2007
Energy consumed: 24 trillion BTUs *
Regional population: 80,000 people
Per capita energy use (based on 2005 EIA data): 305 million BTUs per year
Per capita energy spending (based on 2005 EIA data): $3,137 per year
Energy spending: $250 million
* Residential, commercial, industrial and transportation sectors.
Electricity, natural gas, gasoline, diesel and other fuels.
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Agency, Colorado State Demographer’s Office |
Electricity bills — heating bills — $4.15 per gallon gasoline. How much are we spending on energy in the Parachute to Aspen region?
A preliminary and very rough estimate pegs the outlay at a minimum of $250 million a year for homes, commercial properties, industry and transportation.
That estimate, prepared by George Wear, assumes the region’s population of 80,000 uses the same amount of energy as the statewide average. The U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) pegged Colorado’s average per capita use of energy in 2005 at 305 million BTUs per year. Converting all energy sources to BTUs (British Thermal Units) is a way of combining electricity, natural gas, propane, gasoline, diesel and wood into one consumption total.
In our personal lives, we aren’t aware of consuming and certainly don’t pay for all 305 million BTUs. EIA gathers together all energy use from homes, schools, hospitals, businesses, industry and transportation, and divides that by the state’s total population to arrive at a per capita average.
In a state-by-state ranking, Colorado is No. 37 in per capita energy use.
However, local factors suggest this region’s figures for energy consumption and spending could be quite a bit higher than the statewide average. They include:
Large homes
Second homes
Growing population
Affluent residents and visitors
A large share of hotels
An economy dependent on workforce commuting
A booming natural gas industry
In addition, the rapid rise in gasoline prices since 2005 statewide are driving up regional energy spending totals.
This preliminary analysis looked at energy use data from Aspen and Glenwood Springs to corroborate the EIA estimates. Information from other sources is being sought for a more complete energy picture for our region.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, State Energy Profiles, Dec. 14, 2006.
- Final Colorado Population Estimates By County, 2000-2006, Colorado State Demography Office, November 2007.
- Eagle County Planning Department, information request on population.
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Holy Cross Energy debuts solar thermal incentive
Aim is to cut power demand for electric hot water heaters
Holy Cross Energy is offering financial incentives of up to $6,000 to its consumers who install a solar thermal system to preheat water going into hot water heaters.
The new incentive is part of the total 2008 WE CARE (With Efficiency Conservation And Renewable Energy) budget of $1.8 million, said Steve Casey, member services and marketing administrator for Holy Cross.
“We are trying to reduce both carbon emissions and energy demand associated with electricity used to heat domestic hot water,” Casey said.
“Holy Cross has about 9,600 all-electric homes on its system. The average hot water heater is a 4 kilowatt-hour (kWh) load.
“If we can reduce the difference between the input and output water temperatures of a hot water heater through a preheat process, so the consumer is only using electricity to raise the water temperature 20 degrees rather than 60 degrees, our consumers will have the ability to save a lot of energy,” Casey said.
The incentive is available to Holy Cross consumers with electric hot water heaters who install a solar thermal system after Jan. 1, 2008. The incentive pays $1,500 per panel for up to four panels, or $6,000 total.
To be eligible for the incentive, a solar thermal pre-application must be completed and submitted to Holy Cross after the consumer signs a contract with the system installer.
The incentive doesn’t apply to:
- New construction
- Existing hot water heaters using fuel oil, natural gas, or propane
- Projects needed to comply with the Aspen/Pitkin County Renewable Energy Mitigation Program or Eagle County’s ECO-Build.
Casey said Holy Cross has budgeted $60,000 for the solar thermal incentives this year. Should funding run out before Dec. 31, the utility may be able to transfer additional funds from other WE CARE programs.
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Aspen and Holy Cross Energy offer
double incentives for efficiency
Higher payments targeted to promote
spending of federal stimulus payments
For a limited time, Aspen Electric and Holy Cross Energy are offering double incentives for purchases of certain Energy Star® certified appliances and devices.
“The idea is to encourage our respective electric consumers to use some or their entire federal economic stimulus checks to invest in efficiency,” said Steve Casey, member services and marketing administrator for Holy Cross.
CORE is helping publicize the doubled incentives. Holy Cross and City of Aspen customers who take advantage of the energy incentives are also eligible for regular CORE rebates for their purchase.
Holy Cross, with 53,000 meters in its system in Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties, is offering the double incentives for purchases made from June 15 through Sept. 15.
Aspen Electric, with 2,400 meters, is able to offer its double incentive until Dec. 15, 2008.
Incentives offered by Holy Cross:
- $150 for Energy Star® appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers.
- $120 for refrigerator disposal. Freon free units can be taken to county and municipal landfills; non-Freon free units can be transported to Creative Auto Recycling & Salvage (625-1477) in Rifle.
- $50 or the actual cost, whichever is less, for compact fluorescent light bulbs (minimum eight-bulb purchase required).
- $50 or the actual cost, whichever is less, for a programmable thermostat.
Incentives offered by the City of Aspen:
- $225 for Energy Star® appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers.
- $3 a watt for solar photovoltaic panels, up to $9,000 per installation.
- 50 percent of the cost of a home energy audit, up to $500
- 20 percent of costs for a ground source heat pump, up to $4,000
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Holy Cross Energy consumers
elect Shaeffer, Dwyer to board
Holy Cross Energy consumers elected incumbent George Shaeffer of Eagle and challenger Lynn Dwyer of New Castle to the association’s board of directors. Both were elected to three-year terms that start June 18.
The election was held in conjunction with the Holy Cross annual meeting on June 6. Holy Cross posted election results on its website on June 10.
Shaeffer retained his seat representing the Northern District against challenger David S. Campbell of East Vail, 1,925 votes to 958 votes.
Incumbent James Snyder of Rifle lost his Western District seat to Dwyer, with 1,635 votes for Dwyer and 1,028 votes for Snyder.
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Highway 82 improvements feature bus-only lanes
Aspen-bound RFTA buses can now scoot around stalled Highway 82 traffic in the one-mile stretch from the Aspen Airport Business Center to Buttermilk, using a bus queue bypass that opened May 21.
“As far as I can tell, this is a first for rural resort America,” said Ralph Trapani of Parsons Transportation Group, project design manager for the AABC to Maroon Creek Roundabout project.
Bus bypass lanes are common in American cities and in European resort areas, but the Highway 82 bus lanes pave new ground for U.S. resorts, Trapani said.
The bus queue bypass is part of the $20 million project to improve the highway from the Aspen Airport Business Center to the Maroon Creek Roundabout, with a new bridge over Maroon Creek. The project is jointly funded by upvalley governments and the Colorado Department of Transportation.
The design also includes exclusive bus lanes for both directions of Highway 82 in the 1.25-mile stretch between Owl Creek Road and the Maroon Creek Roundabout. Those lanes, set to open this fall, are also believed to be a first for a rural resort area in the United States, Trapani said.
“We got a lot of support and input from RFTA to make sure these things work,” Trapani said of the bus lanes. “These exclusive lanes will get RFTA buses around the greatest congestion. Bus passengers will be looking at some pretty significant savings in travel time once this project gets wrapped up in the fall.”
The bus lanes will also be open to emergency vehicles.
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RFTA Bike Express bus rolls into service
It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s the Bike Express!
 The RFTA maintenance department has modified one of RFTA’s buses to carry 10 bikes inside and four bikes on the outside racks.
Fares are the regular valley fare for riders and another $2 for each bicycle.
Since this is a new service, the schedule of this bus may have to be fine tuned once RFTA gets a better idea of ridership and bike passenger trends.
The present departure times and locations for Bike Express are:
11:55am, Glenwood Springs to Aspen
1:45pm Aspen to El Jebel
2:30pm El Jebel to Aspen
3:45pm Aspen to El Jebel
4:30pm El Jebel to Aspen
5:45pm Aspen to El Jebel
7:30pm El Jebel to Aspen (no bikes on outside racks)
8:45pm Aspen to Glenwood Springs (no bikes on outside racks)
Buses will not carry bikes on the outside racks after 7:30 p.m. because the bikes block the bus headlights.
Bikes may be loaded and unloaded only at these stops:
Glenwood Springs: West Glenwood Park & Ride, 7th St. and Wal-Mart
CMC turn
Carbondale Park & Ride
El Jebel Park and Ride
Basalt Park & Ride
Lazy Glen, Old Snowmass, Aspen Village
Brush Creek Intercept Lot
Aspen Airport Business Center, Maroon Creek Roundabout, Rubey Park
Bike loading is on a first come/first served basis. Arrive at the bus stop with a bike lock in case the racks on the bus are full.
— Sylvia Cranmer, RFTA
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Passage to Freedom wins CDOT “Share the Road” grant
Cody Owen and Jean Owen and their organization, Passage to Freedom, were awarded a “Share the Road” grant from Colorado Department of Transportation. They will use the funding to appear at many public events this year to promote the “Share the Road” message.
Cody has been working since 2006 on accessibility and safety. He helped train RFTA bus drivers on how to use wheelchair lists in the buses, and served as a crossing guard for Carbondale children crossing Highway 133.
Cody’s “Complete Streets” proposal to the Town of Carbondale has resulted in his working with the Carbondale Public Works Department to design and build sidewalks so travel around town is safe for elderly and disabled people.
The 2008 theme for “Share the Road” is, “OINK, Don’t Be a Road Hog.”
Cody and Jean are excited about this opportunity to get the word out for people to be alert, safe and courteous on our highways.
“We all walk, bike and drive,” said Cody. “Don’t be a road hog. Let’s all share the road.”
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HERS rater certification course offered June 23-38
Grow your business. Become an Energy Star rater.
Date: Monday, June 23 through Saturday, June 28, 2008
Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 23-27; 9 a.m. to noon on June 28
Place: Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs
Fee: $850, some scholarships available
The Roaring Fork Partnership is hosting a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) training by Energy Logic. HERS certification an ideal skill to add to HVAC, architectural and home inspection businesses.
HERS certification is required to apply an Energy Star rating to new homes. HERS ratings are required to qualify residential energy projects for federal tax credits and in some cases for local utility rebates. More and more communities are requiring a HERS rating for building code compliance.
The HERS training offers:
- A complete understanding of the Home Energy Rating System
- An excellent foundation in building science, using the “house-as-a-system” approach
- Duct-blasting and blower-door testing
- Advanced building diagnostics and measurements
For curriculum details and to register, go to Energy Logic or call (970) 212-3382
For information on the Roaring Fork Partnership, contact Lauren Martindale at laurenmartindale@gmail.com
To apply for a scholarship, contact Calla Ostrander, Canary Initiative, (970) 429-1831, callao@ci.aspen.co.us
For more information on HERS
Energy Star |
Residential Energy Services Network
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Two short courses on Energy Star homes on offer in Vail
If you can’t commit to a full-week course, or just want an introduction to Energy Star standards for residential construction, consider two short courses offered by the Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability (EVAS).
No. 1: What is Energy Star for Homes?
Date: Tuesday, June 17
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
Place: Donovan Pavilion, 1600 S. Frontage Rd., Vail
Fee: $25
- A presentation by Megan Gilman, president of Active Energies, will include:
What is an Energy Star Home and why build or buy one?
- How does a home get Energy Star qualified?
- Overview of design & specification requirements
- How Energy Star works with other certifications
This short course is for homeowners, Realtors, developers, architects, subcontractors, do-it-yourself builders, building materials suppliers, and building code officials.
No. 2: Build Energy Star Homes
Date: Tuesday, June 24
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Place: morning session at Donovan Pavilion, 1600 S. Frontage Rd., Vail; afternoon session is a site visit in Edwards
Fee: $50
- A presentation by Megan Gilman, president of Active Energies, will include:
Brief introduction to Energy Star Homes
- HERS rating process & energy modeling
- Design & specification requirements
- Inspections & ratings
- Onsite visit of Energy Star Home under construction
This one-day course is for builders, subcontractors and building code officials.
Click here to register for these courses.
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Two “Greening Government” newsletters
The Colorado Governor’s Energy Office and the National Association of Counties, based in Washington, D.C., are publishing newsletters directly aimed at government agencies.
GEO’s newsletter reports on green government success stories, offers green tips and includes an events calendar. Click here to sign up.
NACO is publishing a free semi-monthly newsletter with loads of information about online training and examples of green government efforts from around the country.
It’s part of NACO’s Green Government Initiative, which includes a website with information on green building, transportation, land use, air and water quality, purchasing, recycling and a searchable database of county green practices, programs, policies and plans and an electronic green government network.
Sign up for an e-mail alert when newsletters are published.
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Events
Community Health Risk Analysis Presentation
Date: Tuesday, June 17
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Place: West Garfield Colorado Mountain College Auditorium, 3695 Airport Road, Rifle
Info: (970) 625-5200
Scientists who have been studying the impacts of gas development on air quality and community health will present findings:
Results of the 2005-07 air quality study in Garfield County by Dr. Raj Goyal, toxicologist, and Shannon Rossiter, epidemiologist, both of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Results of the 2005-07 Community Health Risk Assessment by Dr. Teresa Coons of the Saccomanno Research Institute at St. Mary’s Hospital, Grand Junction, and Dr. Russell Walker, professor of environmental restoration at Mesa State College.
The event is part of the Smart Citizens Series, sponsored bt Colorado Mountain College, Garfield County Public Health and Garfield County Energy Advisory Board
. . . . .
Rio Grande Trail Grand Opening
Date: Saturday, June 21
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., ribbon cutting at noon
Place: Carbondale Park & Ride, Village Road and Highway 133
Celebrating the grand opening of the final stretch of the 44-mile trail from Glenwood Springs to Aspen.
Live music, free barbeque, stuff for kids, information booth.
Cyclists will be leaving Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Snowmass Village and Basalt earlier in the morning and meet in Carbondale for the grand opening.
- Glenwood Springs: cyclists led by Mayor Bruce Christensen will ride in the Strawberry Days parade, then continue south on the trail. Meet at Glenwood Springs City Hall, 101 W. 8th St., at 9:30 a.m. The parade starts at 10.
- Aspen: Meet at the Theatre Aspen Tent on the Rio Grande Trail, depart at 9 a.m. Led by Aspen Councilman Steve Skadron.
- Snowmass Village: Meet at the Rodeo Lot, depart at 9 a.m. Led by Snowmass Village Trustee John Wilkinson
- Woody Creek: Aspen and Snowmass cyclists converge at 9:30 a.m.
- Basalt: Meet at Basalt High School, depart at 10 a.m. Led by Basalt Councilman Gary Tennenbaum
. . . . .
Bike to Work Day
Date: Wednesday, June 25
Breakfast events from Glenwood Springs to Aspen: food, prizes, fun
- Glenwood Springs Centennial Park, 6 to 10 a.m.
- Carbondale Recreation Center, 6:30 to 10 a.m.
- Basalt Library, 6:30 to 10 a.m.
- Aspen (3 locations): Bugsy Barnard Park, Rio Grande Trail, West Hopkins Trail, 7 to 10 a.m.
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. . . . .
Global Warming Presentation
Date: Thursday, June 26
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Place: Glenwood Springs Community Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road
The Roaring Fork Sierra Club Group hosts Rob Smith, Sierra Club regional director from Phoenix, for his presentation, “Global Warming: The science, the solutions, and what it means for Colorado.”
. . . . .
Solar Array Grand Opening
Date: Tuesday, July 1
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Place: Colorado Rocky Mountain School, Carbondale
Aspen Skiing Co. hosts a grand opening for the 150 kW solar array newly installed on the Colorado Rocky Mountain School campus in Carbondale. The array is a collaborative energy project by the SkiCo, Town of Carbondale, Xcel Energy and CORE. Sunsense of Carbondale handled the installation.
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It’s summer. Enjoy the bounty of local food
at community farmer’s markets.
Aspen Farmer’s Market
East Hopkins at Hunter Street
Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
June 14 to Oct. 18
Carbondale Farmer’s Market
4th and Main Street Plaza
Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
June 11 to Oct. 1
Glenwood Springs Downtown Market
Centennial Park, Grand Avenue at 9th Street
Tuesdays, 4 to 8 p.m.
June 17 to Sept. 23
Glenwood Springs Farmer’s Market
1412 Grand Avenue
Saturday mornings
June 28 to Nov. 8
Rifle Farmer’s Market
East 2nd St. from Railroad to East Ave.
Fridays, 4-8 p.m.
June 13 to Sept. 26
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Clean Energy Bits ‘n Bobs
The Aspen Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) hired Joshua Smith for the position of Carbondale energy manager . . . The Governor’s Energy Office will host the 2nd annual New Energy Economy Conference on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Denver . . . RFTA and ECO (Eagle County Transit) are looking for consultants to produce a Connection Feasibility Study aimed at linking the two regional bus services through Glenwood Canyon . . . Our neighbors at the Delta-Montrose Electric Association brought in Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, as the keynote speaker for the co-op’s annual meeting . . . Apollo Alliance is producing The Apollo Daily Digest, an online compendium of news and commentary related to the clean energy economy.
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