New York Times, March 12, 2009 New York Times, March 14, 2009 "Distributed generation by way of rooftop solar panels and other domestic renewable energy equipment gets a strong boost by the quickly-growing number of local governments adopting laws that enable them to finance those investments with loans secured by property taxes." Feed-In Tariffs offer steady payback
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Jim Raras Jr. is a principal at InPower in Carbondale. InPower specializes in design/build solar electric systems and solar development. Prior to launching InPower, he worked in the electronics integration industry and as a financial analyst for a private equity sponsor group and for Salomon Smith Barney in New York. Jim graduated with honors from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a degree in finance and economics. 
The Governor's Energy Office (GEO) is partnering with homebuilder associations, community organizations, businesses, utilities and local governments across the state in a major push to support the construction of energy-efficient ENERGY STAR New Homes. 
"In Colorado we know that how we build our homes today directly influences how we consume energy tomorrow," said GEO director Tom Plant. "We are excited to see so many homebuilders and community partners embrace the promise of ENERGY STAR New Homes."“We want to see how much gas the landfill is producing, and we may propose a gas collection system to use it as a fuel.” -- Larry Giroux, manager |
At South Canyon, Heartland will start a five-year contract in May. Giroux said he’ll use the same methods there, including digging up buried C&D materials for processing and resale.
The company also plans to introduce an evaporative concentrator so the landfill can accept more liquid wastes, such as septic fluids, car wash water and produced water from natural gas wells. “South Canyon has been limited to 15,000 gallons per day. We proposed developing 40,000 gallons of evaporative capacity, using wood as the fuel source,” Giroux said.
“Last year, South Canyon brought in about 220,000 yards of C&D materials. About half of that waste stream is wood that they buried,” Giroux said. “Our plan is to pull the wood, metal, concrete and boulders out of waste stream, before we grind it. We’ll pull out the metal for scrap, and crush and sell the boulders and aggregate. The wood will be part of our fuel source for our concentrator. They we will apply to state to get a permit to grind the rest and use that for daily cover. We expect at least a 50 percent gain in the life of that site.”
Giroux isn’t stopping there. He is eager to look at other fuel sources that could be developed at South Canyon, such as landfill-produced methane and beetle-killed wood. “We want to see how much gas the landfill is producing, and we may propose a gas collection system to use it as a fuel,” Giroux said.
And he plans to demonstrate the evaporative concentrator to operators of the Garfield County Landfill near Rifle, as a means of dealing with high volumes of water produced from natural gas wells in that area. A key advantage is the equipment is portable, so it can be taken right to a well pad or drilling area, reducing the number of trucks hauling produced water to open-air evaporation ponds.
Pitkin recycling services accept more types of plastics
Pitkin County residents and businesses can now recycle more types of plastic containers. The Pitkin County Landfill is now accepting plastic food and beverage containers labeled No. 1 to No. 7, which includes water bottles, yogurt and other dairy product tubs, and milk jugs.
These containers can be recycled in the same bins for co-mingled materials as aluminum cans and glass bottles. Please remove and throw away tops and lids to all these containers.
Not all plastics are accepted, however. Plastic bags are only accepted at the Rio Grande drop-off center in Aspen or at the Basalt drop-off center. And No. 3 PVC and plastic jugs and dishware can’t be recycled at all.
In addition, magazines can now be recycled in the same bin as newspapers.
“This is great news for everyone, because in the past we could only recycle plastic bottles, but now all containers are accepted, which means that yogurt, berry and to-go containers don’t have to go in the trash anymore,” said Aspen Environmental Health Specialist Ashley Cantrell. “Hopefully the new requirements will help residents reduce the overall amount of trash produced, because now a larger portion of waste can be recycled.”
“Pitkin County is working to expand recycling programs and add new ones. The county is excited about this new expansion to plastic recycling,” Ludwig said.
Stop by the Aspen Environmental Health Department on the second floor of City Hall to pick up free magnets for homeowners and leaflets for businesses that explain the new recycling requirements.
Legislature drives forward on transportation
and clean energy bills
The Colorado Legislature is in its final month of the 2009 session, and is wrapping up work on bills that make practical changes in state policy to advance the clean energy agenda. Here is a quick summary of key bills:
Bill passed and signed by Gov. Ritter
SB 09-108: Funding Advancement for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery
Sponsors: Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne, and Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton.
Status: signed by Gov. Ritter
The bill creates a statewide bridge enterprise and a high-performance transportation enterprise for integrated and effective planning and funding of transportation projects. The bill was amended to include $15 million per year for transit and mobility projects and other policies to make sure transit is included in transportation planning.
Bills moving through the legislature
HB 09-1312: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency for Schools Loan Program
Sponsors: Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, and Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver.
Status: Passed the House, in Senate Education Committee
The bill creates a loan program, managed by the Governor’s Energy Office, for school districts to borrow money for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and to buy battery-powered or hybrid-electric buses. The state treasurer would issue loans from the Public School Fund, capitalized through income from state school lands, and from the Public School Energy Efficiency Fund, capitalized with interest earned on severance tax deposits.
HB 09-1323: Energy Efficiency Programs Implemented by Cooperative Electric Associations
Sponsors: Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, and Sen. Jennifer Viega, D-Denver.
Status: Introduced March 23, in House Appropriations Committee
The bill requires rural electric co-ops with more than 100,000 customers to adopt demand side management programs to cut customer electric demand 10 percent by 2020, compared to 2008 sales. Only one of Colorado’s electric co-ops meets this criteria, the Sedalia=based Intermountain Rural Electric Association, an unflagging advocate for conventional coal-fired power plants. Holy Cross Energy, the co-op serving our region, already offers a healthy DSM program, including free energy audits for all customers and rebates for energy efficient appliances.
SB 09-39: Discretionary Authority for Rural Electric Co-ops to Establish Graduated Rates
Sponsors: Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, and Rep. Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison
Status: Passed Senate and House
This bill authorizes rural electric co-ops, such as Holy Cross Energy, to establish inverted block rate structures for residential customers, which charge a higher rate as usage increases, while making special consideration for low-income customers. Farm and ranch customers whose homes and agricultural operations are on the same meter are exempted from the graduated rate structure.
SB 09-051: Measures to Facilitate Financing of Energy Efficient Structures
Sponsors: Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Denver, and Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder
Status: Passed Senate and House
The bill expands coverage of Clean Energy Development Authority loans to include apartment buildings and renewable energy installations on commercial and industrial buildings by third parties.
HB 09-1149: Measures to Encourage Construction of New Homes to Make Cost-Effective Use of Solar Energy
Sponsors: Rep. Mike Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Denver
Status: Passed House and Senate
The bill requires builders of new, single-family homes to offer buyers the option of pre-wiring for solar photovoltaic installations.
SB 09-124: Additional Funding for Agricultural Energy Projects
Sponsors: Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus, and Rep. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango
Status: Passed Senate, in House Appropriations Committee
The bill renews the on-farm clean energy loan program through 2012.
SB 09-94: Creation of a Transit and Rail Division Within the Colorado Department of Transportation
Sponsors: Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, and Rep. Claire Levy, D- Boulder
Status: Passed Senate, awaiting floor vote in House
The bill creates a transit and rail division within CDOT to plan, develop, operate and integrate transit and rail in the statewide transportation system; to coordinate with other transit and rail providers; and to promote and implement investments in transit and rail services statewide. The bill also authorizes formation of a state-level transit and rail advisory committee.
HB 09-1199: Colorado Healthy Forests and Vibrant Communities Act
Sponsors: Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne
Status: Passed House, in Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
The bill transfers $2.9 million from the state severance tax fund to create a trust fund, spending $50,000 a year from the fund for wildfire training for local fire districts. The bill also calls for a statewide request for proposals for loans to businesses that can harvest beetle-killed timber as part of a wildfire risk reduction project; and sets up a revolving loan fund to support increased use of woody biomass for heating projects.
Bills that have died
HB 09-1166: Pay-As-You-Drive Auto Insurance Rates
Sponsor: Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder
Status: PI’d in House Business Affairs and Labor Committee
The bill would have required the state insurance commissioner to develop a new rate structure for auto insurance based on miles driven.
HB 09-1247: Homebuyers Energy Right-to-Know Act
Sponsors: Rep. Dennis Apaun, D-Colorado Springs, and Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs
Status: Passed the House, PI’d by the Senate Local Government and Energy Committee
The bill would have required home sellers to provide the previous 12 months of energy usage and billing records to buyers.
Aspen to install outlets for
neighborhood electric vehicles
The City of Aspen recently approved the installation of 27 electrical outlets at the Rio Grande Parking Garage to allow neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) the ability to park and re-charge.
“We’ve seen a big increase in the number of NEVs in Aspen,” explained Tim Ware, director of parking for the city of Aspen. “Many NEV owners don’t live in town, but work here and want to use the vehicles during the day to run errands, etc. This gives them an option for parking the vehicles at night and charging them.”
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles are speed-limited battery electric vehicles that operate on only a fraction of the fossil fuels as a standard vehicle by plugging into a standard outlet. In Colorado, the vehicles are not allowed to drive in areas with a 35 mph speed limit or higher, meaning they can’t zip down valley on Highway 82.
Ware said the Parking Department will set up contracts with NEV owners for an access charge that will recoup the electricity fees associated with charging each vehicle. He hopes the spaces/outlets will be up and running by summer.
“We’re starting with the 27 spaces, but we have the ability to expand that if we need to,” Ware said. “NEVs already receive free parking in town because of their special designation as a no-emission vehicle. This is even more of an incentive to be eco-conscious with your vehicle choice.”
-- Sally Spaulding, City of Aspen
EVENTS
Connecting Transportation to the Clean Energy Economy
Town hall meeting focuses on the future of America’s transportation system
Date: Wednesday, April 15
Time: 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Place: Glenwood Springs City Hall, 101 W. 8th
A town hall meeting and panel discussion will give residents the chance to learn about transportation and the clean energy economy, and provide input to help shape the next federal transportation bill.
Every six years, Congress sets the country’s transportation and infrastructure priorities, allocating billions of dollars for projects. The present federal transportation bill expires in 2009, and Congress will be working this year to develop a new bill for the 2010-15 period.
Everyone is encouraged to attend the town hall meeting to learn more about the next federal transportation bill and to share their vision of what our region and country’s transportation future should look like. Input at the meeting will be recorded and included in a document that will be used as part of the reauthorization effort.
The event is cosponsored by CLEER - Clean Energy Economy for the Region, Transportation for America, RFTA, the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, Colorado Association of Transit Agencies, I-70 Coalition, the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association and the City of Glenwood Springs.
Learn more about conserving resources,
saving money at Earth Day Expo 2009
Date: Saturday, April 18
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: New Castle Community Center, 4th and Main
Children and adults are invited to learn more about conserving natural resources and saving money during the third annual Earth Day Expo.
This free, community education event will feature interactive and informational displays, advice from local experts, children's activities, giveaways and free refreshments.
Exhibits include test drives of electric dirt bikes and scooters, a working model of a tankless hot water heater and solar electricity demonstrations. Ask questions and learn from Garfield County's largest gathering of environmental educators and experts.
The annual expo is presented by the volunteer New Castle Environmental Advisory Committee, in conjunction with the Town of New Castle and local business sponsors as a communitywide educational celebration of Earth Day.
More information at 984-0502.
Earth Day Community Conversation on Climate Action
Date: Wednesday, April 22
Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Place: Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), 100 Puppy Smith Rd., Aspen
Join in a community discussion on action, comments or concerns about climate change in this special event hosted by the Canary Initiative and CORE.
More information at www.aspencore.org.
EVAS Party for the Planet
Date: Saturday, April 25
Time: 12:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Place: downtown Eagle
The Eagle Valley Alliance hosts its second annual Party for the Planet. The stepped-up event will feature two bands, a beer garden, an expanded kid's zone, a Retrograde Recycle Fashion Show, a skate park and all sorts of cool booths featuring local green businesses. Bring your own cup for beer, listen to some music, and mingle while checking out some of the coolest booths around.
Built Green University for homebuilders and energy raters
Date: Monday, April 27, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, April 28, 8 a.m. to noon
Place: Two Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction
Cost: Students $125; HBA members $175; Non-members $200
Built Green University offers tips and resources to help you add value to your homes and profits to your business.
- How (and why) to comply with the 2009 Built Green Checklist
- Utility rebates and incentives from the Governor's Energy Office
- How building science and the systems approach results in better performing homes, and cost-effective strategies to getting there
- How and why to go beyond minimum energy efficiency — and how this will reduce common problems and expensive callbacks
- Where the Built Green Colorado program is going in the future
More info: Built Green Colorado
The Clean Energy Expo:
Live Green. Eat Green. Play Green. Save Green!
Date: Friday, May 8
Time: 4 to 7 p.m.
Place: Glenwood Springs Community Center, 100 Wulfsohn Rd.
The Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association is proud to present the first-ever Clean Energy Expo. The event is free, so come enjoy more than 40 booths, demonstrations, education, food, beverages, entertainment and fabulous door prizes!
Over 40 booths will feature green products and services that will help you save money on everything from retrofitting to solar energy. There will be a live display of equipment that rates home energy efficiency and energy efficient car demos. Are you trying to find ways to save money and gas this summer but still want to have a great vacation? Learn about great “staycation” ideas right in your own backyard.
A panel of local experts will address how a clean energy economy can work locally. Dr. Vince Matthews, director of the Colorado Geological Survey will make a keynote address at 5:30 p.m. He will discuss the global effect of China, India and their hunger for Colorado’s resources.
Booths are still available for those who want to reach the public with “green” products and services. Register by April 15 for early-bird pricing
More information at glenwoodchamber.com/green or (970) 945-6589.
In the news
Aspen Times, March 18, 2009
Aspen to buy more wind energy
By Carolyn Sackariason
The City of Aspen will buy an additional nearly $100,000 worth of wind energy to further its goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Glenwood Springs Post Independent, April 12, 2009
Riding a ‘green building’ wave
Mandatory PV requirement for houses in Carbondale questioned
By John Stroud
Clean Energy Bits ‘n Bobs
Juanita Williams is the Town of Parachute’s new alternate to the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative Advisory Board. She replaces Town Administrator Robert Knight.
Former Pitkin County Commissioner Dorothea Farris of Carbondale has joined the landfill management company Heartland Companies as a community representative.
Lighthouse Solar of Boulder has opened an office at 7800 Highway 82 near Glenwood Springs. The company does solar PV and solar thermal installations and is a licensed plumbing, heating and electrical contractor. Local staff include Geoff Manchester, Marcus Hollins, Alex Hartzheim and Brett Nelson.
For Earth Day, consider this suggestion from the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization: Join the growing ranks of volunteer citizen scientists by participating in the USA-National Phenology Network. The network aims to vastly increase data on how climate change is affecting plant and animal life cycles. The program provides easy-to-use methods to track and report the life cycles of nearly 200 species of plants, and will begin monitoring animals next year.
Three seats on the Holy Cross Energy Board of Directors will be up for election at the co-op’s annual meeting on June 5. Openings are for seats representing the Northern District from Gypsum to Vail, the Central District from Glenwood Springs to Marble, and the Southern District from El Jebel to Aspen. Nominating petitions are due Tuesday, April 21. Candidates must be Holy Cross customers for at least two years. Click here for more information.
Kilowatt-hours, gallons of gasoline, cubic feet of natural gas. How can we add up these different forms and measurements of energy to learn our total usage? The U.S. Energy Information Administration says it’s a lot like counting calories from different kinds of food. In this case, the common unit of measure is the Btu. A single Btu, or British thermal unit, is about the energy stored in a kitchen match. Check out the EIA’s March 12 Energy in Brief for a simple explanation of how this works, and for a simple calculator to convert all your energy usage to Btu’s.
CAR TO GO, Aspen’s car-share program, provides members with access to a fleet of vehicles including hybrids, station wagons and a truck. The low rate includes gas, insurance, maintenance and roadside assistance. Join CAR TO GO in April or May and we’ll waive the program application fee, a $25 value. Just mention promotion code SPRING.