STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO-November 22, 2019-Making a few changes around your home could add up to hundreds in savings, but when entities across Northwest Colorado shave energy use, it can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings.
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) awarded a total of $400,000 spread across two grants, with matching local monies, that will allow a group of local organizations to investigate potential solar installations as well as power shaving and net metering strategies for the region.
“Act locally and work together was our thinking when we all came together to pursue these grant opportunities,” said Assistant to the City Manager Winnie DelliQuadri. “Combining resources allows us to examine the feasibility of solar which would not be possible alone.”
The first DOLA grant, which totals $200,000 and has the City of Steamboat Springs acting as the fiscal agent, allow for work to be completed on assessing the feasibility, sizing and specifications needed for solar installations on both the Howelsen Ice Complex and Wastewater Treatment Plant, as well as on 13 other local government, utility agencies and school district buildings in Routt and Moffat Counties.
Currently, the high energy use in these facilities, especially during peak demand, pushes pricing into the highest levels. The goal of this project is to install renewable energy (solar) at each facility, which will also provide a portion of power to the facility itself. This will have an immediate impact on renewable energy usage in the region, and in the longer term, will carry out peak power shaving and at some sites, enable net metering to further benefit renewable energy use in the region.
The City of Craig is the fiscal agent on the second $200,000 regional solar utility/garden project grant, which seeks to establish the feasibility of developing a large solar utility in Moffat County, with purchase agreements to provide power to adjacent municipalities and other partners. This project works in concert with the peak power shaving project.
“These projects represent an unprecedented opportunity for local governments to work together to increase the mix of renewable energy being utilized in our region while simultaneously decreasing long-term energy costs and building energy resiliency in critical facilities,” continued DelliQuadri.
Colorado has set a goal to be 100% renewable energy by 2040. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the region and acted as the impetus to work collectively and quickly to address the future. The City of Steamboat Springs, City of Craig, Moffat County, Moffat County School District, Memorial Regional Health, Routt County, Town of Hayden, and Town of Yampa are a part of the DOLA grants.
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Contact
Winnie DelliQuadri, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Steamboat Springs, 970.871.8257 or email
Ginger Scott, Grants Specialist, City of Steamboat Springs, 970.871.8215 or email
Peter Brixius, City Manager, City of Craig, 970.826.2023 or email