Clean Energy Economy News | Online edition
April 20, 2010 | Vol. 3, No. 4
In this issue
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Garfield residents, businesses offered free online energy tracker
The Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative is offering a free online energy tracker to households and businesses throughout Garfield County.
 GreenQuest is a free online service that people can use to track energy use and spending. A special portal for Garfield County households and businesses into the GreenQuest energy tracker will allow the whole county to work as a team to track energy use and, over time, add up the collective energy savings.
“If you track your energy use and spending over time, it’s a lot easier to understand your energy use and ways to save energy and money,” said Shelley Kaup, chair of the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative and a Glenwood Springs City Council member. “Using GreenQuest is an opportunity for everyone in the county to track their energy use and work together to save energy.”
GreenQuest turns monthly utility bills into charts and graphs that show trends in usage, spending and savings over time. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to enter the last two to three years of electric and natural gas bill information. After that, monthly updates take less than a minute.
Order your past
utility bill data
Note: Have your most recent bill handy for your account number. The account holder must be the one to make the call.
Glenwood Springs Electric
Chery Earnest
970-384-6352
Holy Cross Energy
Front desk: 970-945-5491
SourceGas
Call Center: 1-800-563-0012
Xcel Energy
Customer Contact Center:
1-800-895-4999
Inquire@xcelenergy.com |
People who haven’t been saving their utility bills or tracking their use on a spreadsheet can contact their utilities for that data.
“The data entry goes really fast, and then GreenQuest takes your data and converts it into charts with all sorts of interesting comparisons,” said Erica Sparhawk, Clean Energy Challenge program manager. “You’ll probably spend a few more minutes every month checking your energy trends.”
With the push of a button, each GreenQuest account holder can generate a report showing their building’s energy history. The report appears on a separate web page, which can be shared with friends and neighbors. GreenQuest also shows how each home or business measures up to their peers in Garfield County.
“Each household or business will have their own private GreenQuest online account, but the GreenQuest system will also provide us with county wide totals so we can track the total energy use, energy spending and energy savings for everyone who participates,” Sparhawk said.
“We’ll report those achievements on the Garfield Clean Energy website, www.GarfieldCleanEnergy.org,” she said.
“If you start tracking your energy use now, you’ll have a good baseline for comparison after you make energy upgrades in your home or business,” said Greg Russi, vice chair of the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative and a New Castle Town Council member.
For example, sending a pre-1990 refrigerator to recycling and buying an efficient ENERGY STAR model to replace it can cut electricity consumption by 100 kilowatt hours per month, which saves about $100 a year.
“It's all about the bottom line, and GreenQuest gives you the information you need to show your household savings right away,” Russi said.
To open your free GreenQuest account, visit www.GarfieldCleanEnergy.org.
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Students compete in Clean, Green,
Healthy Transportation Challenge
 Elementary and middle schools students in 16 schools from Parachute to Carbondale will compete for three days to see how many can travel to and from school by walking, biking, carpooling or riding the bus.
The Clean, Green, Healthy Transportation Challenge will run from Tuesday, April 27, through Thursday, April 29. Prizes will be awarded for winning classrooms within each school, and a $2,000 grand prize will go to the winning school.
“We are challenging all kids, from kindergarten through eighth grade, to travel to and from school those three days without using the family car, unless they are carpooling,” said Cathy Tuttle, active transportation program director for CLEER and the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative.
“By walking, biking, carpooling or riding the bus, students and their families will save energy and get more exercise. We hope they will continue to use these other ways to get to school whenever possible,” Tuttle said.
Within each school, home room classes will compete for cash prizes of $20, $30 and $50 based on the highest number of points for students who travel to and from school by walking, biking, carpooling or riding the bus.
While home rooms will compete with each other, they will also join forces for the school challenge, a $2,000 prize to be awarded to the school with the most walking, biking, carpooling and bus-riding points per capita. The winning school will be able to use the grand prize to purchase equipment supporting active transportation, such as bicycle racks, or for physical education.
The Clean, Green, Healthy Transportation Challenge is a project of the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, and is sponsored by CLEER, Glenwood Medical Associates and the Greensprouts Foundation.
For more information, visit www.GarfieldCleanEnergy.org > Transportation
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Garfield County Commissioners to hold
clean energy financing work session
The Garfield County Commissioners will hold a work session May 4 to discuss steps and options for offering property assessed clean energy financing to Garfield County residents.
The meeting, open to the public, is set for 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 4, at the Garfield County Administration Building, 108 8th St. in Glenwood Springs.
Acting on the recommendation of the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative Advisory Board (G-NECI), the county commissioners have been considering the formation of an opt-in clean energy financing district in Garfield County.
The work session was postponed until May to allow G-NECI to join with the Governor’s Energy Office and neighboring counties for an April 8 workshop on the latest techniques, legislation and options for finance districts.
The financing district model allows residential and commercial property owners to borrow from a fund to make energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to their property. They pay back the debt as an extra line on their annual property tax bill over a 15- to 20-year period.
Only those property owners who borrow from the fund pay the added tax.
The financing district can be created by resolution by the county commissioners, and there are a variety of ways to establish the funding pool.
This opt-in financing district arrangement is called Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing, or PACE Financing. The financing mechanism has been enabled in 13 states, and voters in 19 more states will decide whether to enact the mechanism in elections this year.
A PACE financing program started last spring in Boulder County, creating a $6 million boost to the economy through projects involving 280 installers, contractors and material suppliers.
Voters in Eagle, Pitkin and Gunnison counties approved PACE bonds in 2009 and are in the process of establishing their loan programs. Eagle County may be working with a bank instead of using the voter approved bonds.
In California, PACE financing will be made available to communities statewide through a statewide joint powers authority sponsored by the California State Association of Counties and the League of California Cities. Renewable Funding, an organization that provides turnkey administration and financing services for PACE programs, is rolling out the pilot phase of the CaliforniaFIRST program this spring to 139 California municipalities and counties.
Colorado Senate Bill 100, which has passed the state Legislature and awaits the governor’s signature, would allow multiple counties, whether they are neighbors or not, to collaborate on a joint bond issue. Pooled bond issues among small-population counties can improve the overall credit rating and result in lower interest rates for borrowers.
Another bill, House Bill 1328, creates a statewide residential PACE program. As of this writing HB 1328 has passed the House and second reading in the Senate.
Learn more about PACE financing: GarfieldCleanEnergy.org
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$18 million Recharge Colorado campaign launched
Over 30,000 Colorado consumers visit rechargecolorado.com for rebates and information
 The Governor's Energy Office (GEO) opened its 'Recharge Colorado' Monday as the www.rechargecolorado.com website and call center went live and Coloradans began applying for thousands of rebates for energy efficient appliances, solar power and other energy upgrades.
Both the website and call center saw heavy customer volume, with several thousands trying to log on or call in during peak hours Monday morning. In an effort to manage the available system capacity and ensure the integrity of the "sweepstakes" nature of the rebates (i.e. more requests for rebates than available rebates), the rechargecolorado.com site was forced to temporarily detour some interested consumers during peak traffic periods.
However, more than 10,000 consumers were able to successfully reach the call center or the website reservation system by early evening. The GEO expects to continue to see brisk consumer action, particularly for ENERGY STAR dishwashers, clothes washers and refrigerators. Rebates for furnaces and hot water heaters are also moving steadily. The first rebate to sell out was tankless water heaters.
Those who are still interested in a rebate for a tankless water heater can sign up for the wait list, as well as reserve any of several other rebates still available at www.rechargecolorado.com. The call center is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at 1-800-462-0184.
"We're excited to see so many Coloradans participating in our Recharge Colorado campaign and stoking Colorado's New Energy Economy," said GEO director Tom Plant. "Colorado will continue to see a lot of communication about the program in the coming months, and we encourage people to use the great tools and information on rechargecolorado.com frequently. It's a great one-stop resource for saving energy and money while helping create jobs and energy security for Colorado."
The Recharge Colorado website and call center were developed to help people across the state learn how to make energy savings a simple part of their everyday lives. The new site offers personalized energy planning tools and a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind database that pulls in energy-related information from around the state.
The site also helps consumers find the latest rebates on energy-efficient appliances, insulation and solar power, the simplest ways to weather-proof their homes at the lowest cost and the newest energy innovations and opportunities available where they live.
The Recharge Colorado campaign is also teaming with the Better Business Bureau to help consumers connect with energy efficiency and renewable energy service providers statewide. On the new rechargecolorado.com site, consumers will be able to access BBB Reliability Reports on businesses that offer applicable services and products.
Through the Recharge Colorado campaign, the GEO, utilities, cities and counties across the state are partnering to offer money-saving rebates and programs to enable Coloradans to participate in the New Energy Economy. Rebates will be available until the money runs out.
Rebates include:
- Replacement appliance rebates for clothes washers, refrigerators and dishwashers
- Home upgrade rebates such as insulation, furnaces and water heaters
- Solar electric and hot water rebates and wind rebates
The GEO and its partners are providing roughly $18 million worth of rebates for Colorado with this program. The money is expected to provide approximately 75,000 rebates, including about 14,000 rebates for ENERGY STAR refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers.
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CORE announces 2010 rebates for efficiency
and renewable energy
CORE, the Community Office for Resource Efficiency, announced its 2010 rebates Monday for residents of the Roaring Fork Valley.
CORE’s appliance rebates are now offered on a two-tiered system, with a higher incentive for those who purchase higher efficiency clothes washers, dish washers and refrigerators. Rebates are also now offered for two new items: smart strips and low-flow toilets.
The rebate amounts are:
- Clothes washers: $50 or $100
- Dish washers: $50 or $100
- Refrigerators: $50 or $100
- Programmable thermostats: $15 per unit, up to 5 units
- Smart strips: $25 per unit, up to 2 units
- Low-flow toilets: $75 for up to 2 toilets
- Residential and commercial solar PV: 50 cents a watt for up to 2 kW
- Residential and commercial: 50 cents a watt for up to 2 kW
- Commercial solar hot water: $1,000 per system
For information, eligibility details and application forms, visit www.aspencore.org.
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Active Communications enjoys immediate savings
from CARD energy efficiency retrofits
By Suzie Romig
Clean Energy Economy News
This past winter, employees at Active Communications inside the mall in west Glenwood Springs were able to shed their extra sweaters and coats.
Active Communications store manager Maria Lopez said the new glass door makes a significant difference in controlling the store’s temperature.
Photo by Suzie Romig
|
They didn’t have to use their space heaters from home, and their customers didn’t complain about shopping in a chilly store. Last fall, the cellular phone retailer received an energy audit and efficiency makeover that have already saved hundreds of dollars per month on energy bills. And, as it turns out, the retrofit is keeping employees and customers much more comfortable.
The audit and retrofit at Active Communications are part of CARD, the Commercial Audit and Retrofit Demonstration project, one of many energy efficiency projects being carried out by the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative.
The audits and rebates for Active and five other businesses are being funded by a local match to the Initiative by the City of Glenwood Springs, from its municipal electric utility. Project management is being funded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs grant to the Garfield Initiative.
The Active Communications store in the Glenwood Springs Mall is one of six stores from Rifle to Dillon owned by Anita Denboske. The Glenwood store with its electric heating has the highest heating bills of the bunch. Denboske said she is grateful the retrofit program helped her be more cognizant of energy use and how to properly maintain her store’s heating and cooling system.
Quick facts
Total retrofit project cost: $6,344
CARD rebate: $4,675
Owner investment: $1,669
Savings in first two months: $552
Funded measures
Replace rooftop heating / cooling unit: $5,971
Replace three lighting units: $258
Install programmable thermostat: $115 |
“That old furnace was on its way out,” said Denboske, whose other stores have much lower heating costs with gas furnaces. “Awareness for me was a big part. We are running our businesses, and we don’t think about the furnace.”
When the free CARD energy audit was conducted by engineers from Schmueser Gordon Meyer in Glenwood Springs last fall, Denboske learned that her heating system was literally falling apart, and that it had been warming the false ceiling area and a mall storeroom as much as her store.
Workers from Walker Electric and Down Valley Heating and Cooling, both of Rifle, completed the upgrades including replacing the rooftop HVAC with a high-efficiency heating and cooling unit, installing a programmable thermostat and replacing inefficient T12 overhead lighting with T8 ballasts. The project cost $6,344, but the store owner received retrofit funding of $4,675, an almost 75 percent rebate.
Inspired by other measures recommended in the energy audit, Denboske decided to replace an open-air gate to the mall’s common area with a glass front door. Now her shop’s heat does not escape into the mail hallway.
Electricity bills for the 800-square-foot store show a significant savings in costs and decreases in power use. The highest electricity invoice from January 2009 showed 9,314 kilowatts used at a cost of $778. The highest monthly bill after the work was completed in mid-December showed 5,085 kilowatts used at $425.
The store employees are looking forward to a more comfortable and quiet summer season as well. Last summer they rarely ran the air conditioner because of high costs. They opened the outside emergency exit door to let in the breeze, but that created problems with dust and security for merchandise. They ran electric fans, but that was loud and windy for customers.
The local business owner was pleased with the results and looks forward to tracking more savings. She said she now understands ways to be more frugal and to conserve energy.
“This was lifesaver for me,” Denboske said of the audit and retrofit project. “It was extremely worthwhile.”
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Carbondale students launch building energy saving plan
Energy Team rolls out conservation project at assembly
By the CMS Energy Enrichment Class
This graph shows how much energy the school saved. The shaded green area is the electricity reduction the students created during the assembly. Daily readings of this 15-minute interval data information is available on the District’s Energy Center website and is printed every day for posting to the school’s Energy Board.
The Carbondale Middle School energy team, led by teacher Michael Logan, is launching energy conservation projects at their school and at Crystal River Elementary School. Team members are, top row, from left, Marcus Lawson, Michael Kashnig, Sebastian Dunn, Ezra Brown, Jimmy Serrano and Beck Fisher. Front row, from left, Beth Fawley, Valerie Loertscher, Fiona Laird, Madilyn Kuhl and Tavia Teitler. |
On March 18, the Carbondale Middle School Energy Team put on an assembly for the CMS student body and staff to launch an energy saving plan for their building. The CMS energy team is an energy enrichment class taught by Michael Logan
The assembly included an all-school "switch it off" activity, in which the students turned off everything possible, to demonstrate the effects of just turning off little things such as light switches.
The results were displayed the next day through meters the school had installed to provide 15-minute-interval electricity data.
The assembly also included a "History of Energy" skit to show how energy use has increased over time.
At the end of the assembly, the principal, Mr. Holt, signed the team's Building Conservation Plan, committing the school to saving energy through numerous ways. The Energy Team received amazing results, with the entire school suddenly conscious of and excited about the importance of turning things off.
The Carbondale Middle School Energy Plan is part of the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative. The Initiative has involved six schools in the Roaring Fork School District and four schools in the Garfield RE-2 District on energy efficiency projects, with technical support from the staff of New Energy Technology of Grand Junction.
Since the project started a year ago, it has saved the Roaring Fork School District more than $60,000 in utility costs.
In the news
Aspen Public Radio, April 15, 2010
Carbondale Middle School energy project
By Kristina Tabor
The Roaring Fork School District is working to save money by cutting back on energy in its school buildings. At Carbondale Middle School, students are getting involved by trying to get people to change bad energy habits.
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Legislature moving on 17 bills related to clean energy
The Colorado legislature is moving forward this year with legislation that would provide financing options for clean energy, address property tax issues for clean energy generation systems, promote green jobs, open doors for community-owned clean energy systems such as solar arrays, encourage water conservation and more clearly define regulation of geothermal resources. It has passed seven bills, killed one, and is still working on 10 others.
Here is a summary of clean energy bills still moving through the legislative process. To track bill status in the coming weeks, check out the State Legislature page on the Garfield Clean Energy website.
Utility regulation and clean fuels
HB 10-1001: Increase in renewable energy portfolio standards
Sponsors: Rep. Max Tyler, D-Lakewood; Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village; Sen. Bruce Whitehead, D-Hesperus
Status: Passed by House and Senate, signed by Gov. Ritter March 22
Boosts the renewable energy portfolio standards (RPS) for investor-owned utilities (Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy) to achieve 30 percent renewable generation by 2020. Lowers the requirement for distributed renewable energy generation from the present 4 percent target to 3 percent. Sets a standard minimum rebate of $2 per watt. Requires customers with renewable energy systems to continue to contribute a fair share to the utility's renewable energy program fund. Requires systems eligible for rebates to be installed by NABCEP-certified workers.
HB 10-1098: Increased Transparency in Governance of Rural Electric Co-ops
Sponsor: Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder
Status: Passed by House and Senate, in conference committee
Requires rural electric cooperatives to allow public input at board meetings, post board meeting notice and packet 14 days in advance on website; post board meeting minutes on website, post board election policies 6 months in advance of election, give all candidates equal access to member lists, and randomly order candidate names on ballots. Prohibits candidates or employees from handling ballots without a neutral party present, prohibits a co-op from spending money to oppose a candidate.
HB 10-1365: Clean Air, Clean Jobs
Sponsors: Rep. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango; Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton; Sen. Bruce Whitehead, D-Hesperus; Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction
Status: Signed by Gov. Ritter April 19
Requires investor-owned utilities (Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy) to convert 50 percent of their coal-fired generation capacity, up to 900 megawatts, to natural gas by Dec. 31, 2017. Plans for conversion must be submitted to the PUC by Aug. 15, 2010, and the PUC must act on the plan by Dec. 31, 2010.
Financing
HB 10-1328: New Energy Jobs Creation Act
Sponsors: Rep. Joe Miklosi, D-Denver; Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village
Status: Passed the House, passed Senate second reading
Creates the Colorado New Energy Improvement District to administer and finance an statewide opt-in loan program for residential energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements, with debt repayments made on the home owner’s annual property tax bill over 20 years. Allows the district to issue up to $250 million in tax-exempt bonds. Requires county commissioners to authorize the program for residents. Establishes a nine-member governing board.
SB 10-100: Greater Flexibility for Clean Energy Financing Districts
Sponsors: Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village; Rep. Joe Miklosi, D-Denver
Status: Passed the Senate and House
Current law prohibits local improvement districts for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements (energy LIDs) from crossing county boundaries. This bill allows energy LIDs to cross county boundaries and include properties in multiple counties, whether contiguous or non-contiguous, if county commissioners of the affected counties agree to share district costs.
The bill also expands the definition of renewable energy improvements for energy LIDs to include improvements located at a community location rather than directly on a residential or commercial building. It also exempts county energy LIDs from certain public notice and county treasurer debt authorization requirements.
HB 10-1182: Limited expansion of powers of the Colorado Clean Energy Development Authority
Sponsors: Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton; Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village
Status: Passed the House and Senate
Expands the types of loans and financing agreements the Authority may make to facilitate electric power interconnection projects. Specifically authorizes commercial loan agreements for projects that connect clean energy generating facilities to the utility transmission grid.
Taxation
HB 10-1267: Property Tax Valuation of Residential Solar Electric System
Sponsors: Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood; Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver
Status: Passed the House, in Senate Appropriations Committee
Under current law, third-party owners of solar electric systems must pay business personal property tax on the facilities leased to residential households. This bill defines third-party owned residential facilities as household furnishings, thereby exempting them from property tax. To qualify for the exemption, systems may not be owned by the residential property owner, may not exceed 100 kilowatts, and may not produce income for the homeowner. Rebates, offsets, credits, and reimbursements for renewable energy projects are not considered income under this bill.
SB 10-19: Valuation of New Hydroelectric Facilities
Sponsors: Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village; Rep. Randy Fischer, D-Fort Collins
Status: Passed Senate and House
Specifies that for purposes of property taxation, new hydroelectric energy facilities will be valued using the income approach if (1) energy production begins on or after January 1, 2010, and (2) generation capacity is more than 5 megawatts.
SB 10-177: Promotion of Biomass Energy Development
Sponsors: Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village; Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne; Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon; Rep. Marsha Looper, R-Calhan
Status: Passed Senate, passed House
Places biomass energy facilities under regulation of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, and specifies that biomass energy facilities must be valued in the same manner as wind and solar energy facilities, using the income approach, where the value is based on the projected gross revenue of these facilities.
Jobs
HB 10-1262: Scholarship Programs for Green Jobs
Sponsors: Rep. Jerry Frangas, D-Denver
Status: Killed in House Appropriations Committee, April 9
Establishes the Colorado Green Jobs Scholarship and requires the Colorado Department of Higher Education to award at least $500,000 in scholarships over the next four years.
HB 10-1333: Green Jobs Colorado Training Program
Sponsors: Rep. Edward Vigil, D-Alamosa; Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village; Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton
Status: Passed House, in Senate Appropriations Committee
Creates a two-year, $700,000 pilot program to offer grants to workforce development organizations, employers, educators and training providers, youth corps groups, and economic development organizations to provide job training for the wind, solar, renewable energy, and energy efficiency industries. Applicants must fund at least 20 percent of the costs of their training program.
Community-owned systems
HB 10-1342: Community Solar Gardens
Sponsors: Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder; Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora
Status: Passed by House, awaiting Senate floor vote
Directs the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to adopt new rules by October 1 to apply rebates to solar generation facilities jointly owned by 10 or more utility customers at a shared location, defined as community solar gardens.
Water conservation
HB 10-1204: Inclusion of Conservation Standards in the State Plumbing Code
Sponsors: Rep. John Soper, D-Thornton; Sen. Lois Tochtrop, D-Thornton
Status: Passed House and Senate, signed by Gov. Ritter April 5
Adds conservation to the standards that must be addressed in the state plumbing code.
HB 10-1358: Water-Smart Homes
Sponsors: Rep. Randy Fischer, D-Fort Collins; Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver
Status: Passed by House
Requires builders of new single-family homes to offer buyers water-smart options, including water-efficient toilets, faucets and showerheads, dishwashers and clothes washers, landscaping, and pressure-reduction valves.
Geothermal resources
SB 10-174: Regulating Development of Geothermal Resources
Sponsors: Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village; Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs
Status: Passed by Senate and House
SB10-174 makes 5 key changes to the regulation of geothermal resource development.
Other topics
HB 10-1331: Green Building Incentive Pilot Program
Sponsor: Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen
Status: Killed in House Appropriations Committee April 16
Creates a Governor’s Energy Office program to award grants to qualified applicants who are preparing to sell their current homes with poor energy efficiency ratings and purchase highly efficient new homes. Grants will be awarded for applicants to make energy efficiency improvements to their current homes to increase their marketability.
HB 10-1349: Re-Energize Colorado Program for State Parks
Sponsors: Rep. Randy Fischer, D-Fort Collins; Rep. Sal Pace, D-Pueblo; Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village; Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo
Status: Awaiting House floor vote
Directs the Governor’s Energy Office to create an inventory and map of state lands that have potential for renewable energy development to benefit electrical energy needs of state parks. Encourages leasing of those lands for renewable energy development; Encourages state parks to fully offset their electrical needs using renewable energy by 2020.
HB 10-1363: Incentives to Produce Biogenic Gas
Sponsors: Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon; Sen. Al White, R-Hayden
Status: Passed by House, in Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
Expands the definition of “clean energy” to include landfill gas if the state increases its renewable energy portfolio standard beyond the current 20 percent.
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The merger of SCoR, the Sustainability Center of the Rockies, and CLEER, Clean Energy Economy for the Region, resulted in a combined board of directors. Back row, from left, John Evans, Clare Bastable, Don Ensign, Dorothea Farris, Martha Cochran, Marianne Virgili, Laura Kirk and CLEER Executive Director Alice Laird. Front row from left, Dave Reed, Ralph Trapani and Steve Novy. Not pictured are Michael Kinsley and Dan Miller. Photo by Mike Ogburn.
Sustainability nonprofit merges with CLEER
Sustainability Center of the Rockies, SCoR, one of the founding partner organizations that is developing Third Street Center, has merged with CLEER, Clean Energy Economy for the Region.
“The Third Street Center has been SCoR’s overriding priority for almost three years, and we are so excited to see this project prepare for its opening this spring. With that project almost complete, we now feel it’s most efficient to dedicate our talents and resources to CLEER,” said Laura Kirk, chair of the SCoR board.
CLEER, also a nonprofit based in Carbondale, conceived, developed and is managing the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, a $2 million effort that is delivering a host of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs and services to households, businesses and local governments throughout Garfield County. The Initiative includes all six of the county’s towns from Carbondale to Parachute, Garfield County, the Garfield Public Library District and RFTA.
CLEER’s team of staff and contractors are helping school districts, governments, businesses and households become more energy efficient, install renewable energy systems, and adopt clean energy practices. CLEER also publishes a monthly e-newsletter, connecting over 1,600 people in the region working to advance a clean energy economy.
“CLEER currently has a strong, talented staff team and has achieved substantial clean energy results since the development of the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative in 2009. This merger continues to strengthen the mission and the work of CLEER,” said Martha Cochran, chair of the CLEER board and the executive director of the Aspen Valley Land Trust. “SCoR brings lots of talent and new assets to our board.”
In the merger, four SCoR board members will join the CLEER board. They are Laura Kirk, Dan Miller, Steve Novy and Dave Reed. CLEER board members are chairperson Martha Cochran and board members Clare Bastable, Don Ensign, John Evans, Dorothea Farris, Michael Kinsley, Ralph Trapani and Marianne Virgili.
The other SCoR Board members will be available to work with CLEER on special projects and committees. They are Scott Ely, Doug Graybeal, Laurie Stone, Jeff Dickinson, Dan Richardson, Shane Evans and Shari Nova.
“This is a great opportunity to synergize the work of those of us working in sustainability. This is a joining of forces, a way for us to not overlap or compete, but to create a much stronger single board,” said SCoR board member Steve Novy, co-owner of Green Line Architects of Carbondale
“It always takes a while to see the obvious, but it’s a no-brainer for us to join forces,” said SCoR board member Dave Reed. “SCoR brings a lot of expertise in the built environment and great strengths in grassroots activism, which will really help CLEER fulfill its mission.”
In its 15-year evolution as an organization, SCoR focused on bringing a broad spectrum of sustainability concepts to existing buildings and new development. SCoR successfully advocated for resource-efficient living by partnering with nonprofits, local governments and for-profit businesses, Kirk said.
SCoR is particularly proud of its association and involvement with the Third Street Center, a decommissioned Carbondale elementary school, built in the 1960’s, that is now being renovated into a space for more than two dozen nonprofits through the combined efforts of the Town of Carbondale, SCoR, the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation, the Manaus Fund, Alpine Bank and a team of contractors.
“With the benefit of SCoR’s sustainability expertise, the Third Street Center is being transformed into a model green redevelopment. Moreover, it will become home to several environmental and sustainability groups – enough, we hope, to populate a green wing of the building that will start to realize our original vision of a regional sustainability center,” said Kirk.
“One of CLEER’s goals moving forward is to combine replication and training with the ongoing hands-on clean energy implementation work we are doing in our region. We are increasingly getting questions from other regions about county and community-scale clean energy policy and programs,” said Alice Laird, CLEER’s director. “Joining forces with SCoR creates the opportunity to grow the replication and training arm of our organization.”
“Third Street exemplifies what can be accomplished when multiple organizations work together toward the realization of a shared vision. It is in this same spirit of collaboration that SCoR looks to join forces with CLEER,” Kirk said.
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RFTA makes off-season schedule adjustments
The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority is cutting back on service for valley buses, and is restricting bike rack use in Glenwood Springs.
From April 12 through June 18, the valley bus service between Aspen and Glenwood Springs, which generally runs every half hour, will drop to once per hour service at the on weekdays after 8 p.m. and all day on Saturday and Sunday.
Service will also end earlier on Sunday evenings, with the last upvalley bus leaving the West Glenwood Park and Ride at 10:05 p.m. and the last downvalley bus leaving Rubey Park in Aspen at 12:15 a.m.
Ski racks will remain on most buses through the end of April, but bike racks are also appearing on buses this month.
Bicycles won’t be allowed on buses traveling through Glenwood Springs for the duration of the Grand Avenue paving project, which is expected to be complete by June. The no-bike zone in Glenwood Springs is between the Courthouse stop on 7th Street and the Roaring Fork Marketplace stop.
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Colorado Mountain College gets active for Earth Day
By Suzie Romig
For Colorado Mountain College
 Students and employees at Colorado Mountain College will be marking the week of Earth Day 2010 with a variety of learning and service events, including opportunities for the public to get involved.
Community members can attend documentary screenings and discussions, or participate in cleanup days at some campuses.
“The Earth Day week events at the campuses are another example of the college’s awareness of the need to not only teach about sustainability issues, but to practice them internally as well,” said Lynne Cassidy, the college’s part-time sustainability coordinator.
“Each campus is really focused on projects and learning opportunities on the environment and how we as global citizens can make a difference,” said Nancy Genova, a college vice president and the West Garfield Campus CEO, who also oversees collegewide sustainability efforts.
Cassidy said college employees have been working hard to promote sustainable practices and implement energy- and cost-saving solutions throughout the college, such as conducting energy audits at campuses, building energy-efficient new structures, expanding recycling efforts and introducing renewable energy sources where appropriate.
The guiding principle behind current sustainability measures is the college’s participation in the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which president Dr. Stan Jensen signed in September.
Across the college’s 11 sites, instructors are being asked to pledge to teach without using paper for Earth Day on April 22 or one day during that week, and staff members are being asked to get by without using paper for a day.
“As the CMC committee gathered suggestions for Earth Day activities, the idea of teaching paperless came up. We liked it because the practice could be immediately put into action,” explained Dr. Alice Bedard-Voorhees, director of innovations for teaching and learning at the college. “Some may say doing this for a day is only a symbolic gesture, but it does follow the old saying, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.’”
Public invited to free events
In the Roaring Fork Valley, the public is invited to free screenings of two environmental documentaries April 20 and 21.
- The film Tapped, an examination of the big business of bottled water, will show at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 20, in the theater at the Spring Valley Center south of Glenwood Springs. An educator from the Roaring Fork Conservancy will introduce the film.
- The Oscar-nominated documentary feature Food, Inc., which examines the corporate-controlled food industry in America, will show at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, at the Glenwood Center on Blake Avenue.
The discussion at the ongoing Socrates Café at the library at Spring Valley will focus on environmental ethics at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 21.
The public is invited to assist students and staff with an Earth Day community service xeriscaping project and a trash cleanup event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, at the Spring Valley Center. A trash sculpture competition also is planned. To get involved, contact Johann Aberger at 947-8237. People interested in helping from the start can meet at 9 a.m. at the gazebo near the student center.
Students, staff, faculty participate, too
Other activities for students and employees at Spring Valley during the week of Earth Day include the construction of bird houses, the presentation of an environmental carnival with educational booths, and the student evaluation of faculty and staff’s goals for the week.
Activities for students and employees at the West Garfield Campus in Rifle will include a cleanup on public land behind the campus, informational tables in the lobby on Earth Day and a display of environmental artwork by the children at the Early Learners’ Center on campus. Anyone who donates $5.00 to the West Garfield Green Fund will receive a seedling to plant, as well as be able to participate in a drawing to win Colorado Mountain College prizes.
At the Aspen Campus, employees will participate in a trash cleanup near the campus, and students who take alternative transportation such as carpooling, biking or riding the bus during the week can enter to win prizes – such as a certificate for a three-credit course.
Employees at the college’s district offices in Glenwood Springs will be conducting a river trail cleanup. Similar activities for the public, students and employees will take place at the college’s other locations in Edwards, Breckenridge, Dillon, Leadville and Steamboat Springs.
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TRAININGS
DOE Webinar: Calculating Energy Savings of Cool Roofs
Thursday, April 22, 2010
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Free
Advance registration required
The 90-minute presentation includes an overview of the benefits of cool roofs, and introduces a new enhanced calculator that will soon be available to measure cost effectiveness and energy savings of cool roofs in residential and commercial applications. In addition, speakers will outline current and future DOE research strategies and partnerships to enable the deployment of cool roofs.
For residential and commercial building professionals, engineers, architects, renewable energy and energy efficiency associations, federal agencies, state energy offices, utility companies and homeowners.
Presenters
- Marc Lafrance, DOE Building Technologies Program
- William Miller, Ph.D., Building Envelope Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Joshua New, Ph.D., Building Envelope Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
More info on DOE’s Building Technologies Program webinars
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Sustainable Settings Heritage Fruit Tree Pruning workshop
Saturday, May 1
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sustainable Settings Ranch, 6107 Highway 133, Carbondale
Fee: $40
Register in advance: (970) 963-6107
Michael Thompson teaches the art of pruning fruit trees for health, longevity and production.
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Sustainable Settings Organic Bee Guardianship workshops
Beginners: Saturday, May 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Intermediate: Sunday, May 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sustainable Settings Ranch, 6107 Highway 133, Carbondale
Fee: $75 per day
Register in advance: (970) 963-6107
Corwin Bell of Backyard Hives instructs about the incredible world of the bee and how to care for bees for pollination and honey, right in your own backyard. Last year's class encouraged more than 50 bee hives to be established in the Roaring Fork Valley.
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SEI Solar Hot Water workshop
May 17-21
Carbondale
Tuition: $950
Information and registration
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Clean Transportation Education Project:
Hybrid, Electrification, Idle-Reduction Workshop
Tuesday, June 8
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sheraton Steamboat Resort, Steamboat Springs
Fee: $125 includes lunch
Register
Northern Colorado Clean Cities hosts a one-day workshop on hybrids, electrification, idle reduction, and other alternative fuel and petroleum reduction strategies.
Inquire about full and partial scholarships available for Clean Cities members that are nonprofits or who represent school or local government fleets.
mailto:cleancities@riesberg.com
This workshop is being held in conjunction with the Colorado Association for Recycling annual summit, which will be held at the same venue on Monday, June 7.
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Sustainable Settings Permaculture Design Certificate Course
 July 17-30
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sustainable Settings Ranch, 6107 Highway 133, Carbondale
Fee: $1,325 through June 17, $1,450 after June 18
Info and registration
Instructors Scott Pittman of The Permaculture Institute and Larry Santoyo set you on course to understanding your climate, surrounding natural systems, traditional and contemporary methods and skills, and provide you with solutions to designing sustainable homesteads, businesses and communities.
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EVENTS: EARTH DAY ROUNDUP
Colorado Mountain College Earth Day events
“Tapped” screens at CMC Spring Valley
Tuesday, April 20
6:30 p.m.
Colorado Mountain College Springs Valley Theater
Take an inside look at the big business of bottled water.
“Food, Inc.” screens at CMC Glenwood Center
Wednesday, April 21
6:30 p.m.
Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Center
1402 Blake Ave, Glenwood Springs
An Oscar-nominated documentary film examining the corporate-controlled food industry in America.
Environmental ethics discussion
Wednesday, April 21
6 p.m.
Socrates Café, Colorado Mountain College Springs Valley Library
CMC Earth Day community service
Thursday, April 22
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Spring Valley Center, meet at Student Center Gazebo
This all-day Earth Day community service includes a xeriscaping project, trash cleanup event and trash sculpture competition. More info: Johann Aberger, 947-8237
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Aspen Center for Environmental Studies Earth Day events
Family Earth Day
Thursday, April 22
4:30 to 6 p.m.
ACES at Hallam Lake, Aspen
Free
Celebrate Earth Day at Hallam Lake. Plant willows, catch aquatic insects, create crafts, tour the preserve, listen to an Earth story from a Spellbinders storyteller, and learn about what you can do to help the Earth. Visitors who walk, bike, or bus to the event may enter their name into a raffle to win prizes. More info: 925-5756.
Earth Day Conversation with ACES Director Tom Cardamone
Thursday, April 22
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
ACES at Hallam Lake, Aspen
Free
Join ACES Director Tom Cardamone on the teaching platforms overlooking Hallam Lake for a dialogue on restoration and the balance of natural communities.
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Earth Day Celebration & Potluck at Sustainable Settings
Thursday, April 22
4 to 7 p.m.
Sustainable Settings Ranch, 6107 Highway 133, Carbondale
Suggested donation: $5
Join staff and friends of Sustainable Settings at the ranch to celebrate Nature with a community potluck, ceremonial bonfire and tree planting. Bring a dish to share and your own plate, cup and utensils.
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Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability Earth Day events
Acoustic Green Drinks
Thursday, April 22
6 to 8 p.m.
The Bookworm, Ruby Building in Riverwalk, No. 14, Edwards
Cash bar
Join the staff and friends of the Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability for conversation over food, drinks and some great local music.
"Get the Lead Out" e-waste recycling
Saturday, April 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Eagle County Fairgrounds, Eagle
Friday, May 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lionshead parking structure, Vail
Bring old computers, monitors, DVDs, TVs, stereos, keyboards, cell phones -- anything with a battery or a plug. Recycling fee is $5 per computer or small printer; $10 for monitors (up to 17") and larger printers; very large items may cost more.
Call 303-522-9672 or e-mail in advance if you have large quantities to recycle.
mmclaughlin@electronicrecyclers.com
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Aspen ECO FEST
Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25
 Aspen Eco Fest is a new Earth Day event aimed at inspiring people to make their homes, businesses and communities more ecologically advanced and environmentally sound, while encouraging economic success, activism, creativity and commitment to a sustainable society.
Events include:
Eco-Marketplace
Eco-Swap
Roundtable Conversations
Environmental Art Show
Clunker Criterium
Green Tie Ball and Eco-Fashion Show
Canine Eco-Fashion Show
Environmental Art Show Award Ceremony
Full schedule and registration
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Roaring Fork Conservancy 12th Annual Fryingpan Clean-Up
Saturday, April 24 (Rain date is May 1)
8:30 a.m. to Noon
Lions Park, Basalt
Meet for a free breakfast at Lions Park in Basalt at 8:30 before joining up in teams of three to four people to clean up a one-mile stretch of the Fryingpan River, starting about 9:15. Wear long pants, a hat and sunscreen, bring gloves and be prepared for weather. Prizes back at the park at 11:45 for Best of Trash, Most Toxic, Most Useful and Most Unusual Trash.
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EVENTS
EVAS Party for the Planet
Saturday, May 8
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Brush Creek Pavilion, Eagle
Free
The mission for Party for the Planet is to entertain, educate and engage valley residents with a sustainable vision for our community. The celebration connects children of all ages with bands, brews, delicious organic delectables, educational demonstrations, a kids’ zone full of games, races and other educational mediums disguised as fun, and the Beyond Recycling Campaign to reduce waste at the event and beyond.
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Carbondale Dandelion Day
Saturday, May 8
Hosted by the Carbondale Environmental Board, events include the 5K Dandelion Dash footrace starting at 8 a.m., the Parade of the Species down Main Street at 11 a.m. (line up by 10:45 a.m. at 2nd and Main), and activities at Sopris Park from Noon to 5 p.m., including live music, kids’ activities, farmers with flower baskets and veggie starts, local artists, food vendors, non-profit organizations, slow bike race, compost competition and more.
Spaces are still open for flea marketeers, local farmers, artists and non-profit organizations. More info: Stacy Stein, 319-3634 or stacys14@yahoo.com.
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Rifle hosts two grand opening events
for new city facilities and solar arrays
Saturday, May 8
10 a.m.
Rifle Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility
Grand opening for the new solar-powered wastewater treatment plant and the SunEdison solar array that powers the plant. Public tours of the new treatment facility will follow the grand opening ceremony.
 Monday, May 10
Time TBA
Rifle Parks Maintenance Facility, Deerfield Park
Grand opening for the new energy-efficient and solar-powered parks maintenance facility and solar array, one of three new small arrays funded by the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative.
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The Compelling Case for Natural Gas Vehicles
Tuesday, May 18
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel at DIA, 15500 E. 40th Ave., Denver
Fee: $55 through May 13; $65 late registration
Register: http://www.cleanvehicle.org/workshop/Denver.shtml
Lodging at group rate at Crowne Plaza, $119: call by April 17 to book at this rate, (303) 371-9494
This one-day workshop for owners of public and private sector fleets covers natural gas vehicles on the market, best applications for the job, info on tax incentives and grants, economics of an NGV program, fueling stations, and advice from operators of NGV fleets. Workshop ends with a tour of a nearby CNG facility.
Event flyer with topic summary | Preliminary agenda
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Alliance for Sustainable Colorado
Regional Sustainability Roundtable
Wednesday, May 26
12:30 to 4 p.m.
Garfield Re-2 School District Learning Opportunities Center
839 Whiteriver Ave., Rifle
Free: please RSVP
The Alliance for Sustainable Colorado is conducting a series of eight roundtables around Colorado in 2010 to bring together leaders from nonprofits, businesses, government and educational institutions to share key issues and challenges, as well as best practices and lessons learned related to sustainability.
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Save the date: Third Street Center Grand Opening
Saturday, June 19
4 to 9 p.m.
Third Street Center, Carbondale
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In the news
The Aspen Times, April 15, 2010
Solar revolution coming
to Roaring Fork Valley?
By Scott Condon
CARBONDALE — A midvalley entrepreneur is working on a plan he predicts will revolutionize the local renewable energy movement by making solar power more affordable for thousands of property owners.
Paul Spencer is heading a small group of investors in the Clean Energy Collective, a for-profit organization that wants to develop up to six solar farms in the region, then sell ownership of panels within the arrays to customers of Holy Cross Energy.
Read the whole story
.................
New York Times Magazine, April 11, 2010
Building a Green Economy
By Paul Krugman
If you listen to climate scientists — and despite the relentless campaign to discredit their work, you should — it is long past time to do something about emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. If we continue with business as usual, they say, we are facing a rise in global temperatures that will be little short of apocalyptic. And to avoid that apocalypse, we have to wean our economy from the use of fossil fuels, coal above all.
But is it possible to make drastic cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions without destroying our economy?
Read the whole story
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Clean Energy Bits ‘n Bobs
The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project has added two new staffers at its Boulder office. Neil Kolwey is a senior associate and director of the industrial efficiency program, a new initiative funded by the Governor's Energy Office and the U.S. Department of Energy. J.C. Martel joined SWEEP as program associate in the building efficiency program. She will assist state and local governments and utilities on strategies for improving the energy efficiency of new and existing homes.
Tony Frank has been named executive director of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society. Sheila Townsend, the former executive director, will remain with CRES as operations director. Prior to joining CRES, Frank was manager of development for Compass Wind, and director of renewable energy development for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.
Denver ranks fourth in the nation on a list of metropolitan areas with the largest number of energy efficient buildings. The list, compiled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, highlights buildings that earned EPA’s Energy Star in 2009. The top three cities are Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. The City of Fort Collins also appears on the list, ranked at 24. Learn more
 Piper Foster’s blog posting this month is focused on preparing for natural hazards which may occur as climate change drives more extreme weather. Her visit to Bern, Switzerland, at right, shows how land use planning can be used to anticipate hazards and reduce risk. Read the whole story.
Longtime Glenwood Springs water and land use attorney Jim Lochhead has been tapped to serve as the new CEO and general manager of Denver Water starting in June. His appointment signals continued change and more statewide cooperation for the metro water agency, which controls extensive water rights and water diversion facilities on the Western Slope. Learn more.
 John Hickenlooper, the Democratic candidate for Colorado governor, visited Solar Energy International at Carbondale’s Third Street Center on April 3 as part of a Western Slope business tour. “We're continuing to try and get out to every corner of the state multiple times, and ask people what are their thoughts, their sets of issues, how can the state government do a better job of helping their businesses grow, help new businesses start, and to try and connect the dots,” Hickenlooper said.
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