Efficiency
Utilities: What Walmart’s Power Plans Say About Your Future (It’s Scary!)
The Walmart announcement sounds like bragging about the things the retail giant will do to improve the environment. Look a little closer, and you’ll see that it has some challenging implications for the current utility business model.
18Apr2013 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Xcel Energy Achieved Record Energy Savings
The utility exceeded energy savings goals by 22% by helping its business and residential customers save a record 401 million kWh from energy efficiency programs implemented in 2012, according to an annual DSM report recently issued by the utility.
11Apr2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
ReNew Our Schools Kicks Off New Energy Competition
Fourteen schools will be participating in the energy conservation competition, administered through the Center for ReSource Conservation. Each institution is attempting to win one of three $25,000 awards to implement energy efficiency improvements to their school.
29Mar2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
DOE Official Says Efficiency Funding to Focus on Manufacturing
The U.S. Department of Energy will increasingly focus dwindling energy-efficiency and renewable-energy funding on projects to make the nation’s manufacturing more energy efficient, and to develop energy technologies that can be built domestically, a senior DOE official said this week.
28Mar2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Overdue Energy Efficiency Standards Costing
U.S. $$ Billions
Despite his rhetoric about climate change, President Obama’s Administration continues to delay implementation of energy efficiency standards for appliances and equipment that are among the most successful ways to quickly cut energy consumption and contribute to economic growth.
18Feb2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
New Grid Strategy in West Welcome News Says Wind Industry
The California power grid operator and PacifiCorp creation of “Energy Imbalance Market” in the Western U.S. will use computer technology to exchange electricity at five-minute intervals, instead of by telephone every hour as was formerly the case.
12Feb2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Colorado Energy Efficiency History & Future — Insights from the EE Industry and Xcel Energy DSM Policies
The 2014 DSM Plan will cover new programs, program changes and other opportunities to grow the energy efficiency industry. Please join us in one of the following meetings to discuss the strategy and priorities for creating utility investment of more than $100 Million for 2014 & beyond.
27Jan2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Efficiency Tracks — Longmont Business Sees The Light
With EnergySmart’s assistance, the Etkin Johnson Group received a free energy assessment and assistance in finding all available incentives. After rebates of over $10,000 from both the local utility and EnergySmart, the lighting upgrade cost was $330. The building is anticipated to save approximately $2,300 per year on energy bills.
31Dec2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
CSU Engines Lab Undergoing LEED Level Expansion
The 65,000-square-foot expansion of the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory in the historic power plant building in North Old Town will feature an evaporative cooling tower operating at night to cool down radiant floor slabs, one of the steps that will help it reach a goal of 48 percent energy reduction.
31Dec2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Boulder’s AeriNOx Lands Emissions Control Deal
Once installed in the 110MW facility in Grand County, Kansas, the system will reduce NOx and CO emissions as much as 92%, making the power plant one of the lowest emitting natural gas facilities in North America.
10Dec2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Code Green – Upgrades to Building Codes in 2012
Sideline Old Homes
The homeowners’ issue is that their house meets the bare minimum required in building codes, and the energy codes that feed into them are insufficient. Thankfully, those energy codes – the 2009 “IECC”version – are becoming roughly 15 percent tougher next year in Denver, as well as in a number of Colorado counties and places across the country.
19Nov2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Last Chance to Get Bonus Rebates for Lighting Upgrades
Energy Efficiency Alert — Local utilities are offering 30-50% bonus rebates for lighting upgrades for a limited time. Inefficient T12 lamps are no longer being manufactured or imported. This is an opportunity for businesses to upgrade to efficient lighting for cost savings.
7Nov2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Encana Opens New Energy Efficient Parachute Facility
A variety of features make the three-story building 22 percent more energy efficient than a similarly sized building without the same features. Among the energy efficiency measures are sensors that control the use of lights, heating and air conditioning, and computers.
1Nov2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued-
Assessing Oil and Gas Influence on State Politics – Two Views
A left-leaning watchdog group released a report late last week that contends the oil and gas industry exerts an outsized influence on Colorado politics, and generous political spending might be the reason. Colorado Ethics Watch does not accuse the oil and gas industry of wrongdoing, but does suggest it benefits from spending so freely to influence politicians.
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Clean Energy Collective is now based in Boulder Colorado. 
Though a small step and almost over 16 years into the die-off of our forests, this effort should be applauded ...
The best ballot initiative is one that will ban initiatives. Otherwise what is the point of electing legislators. 
Thanks for the info Fred! 
Tri-State Board Policy 117 limits member co-op generation to 5%.
LPEA has asked them to lift that for community solar gardens.
https://www.lpea.coop/pdf/board_meeting/resolutions/2012/201213_tristate_policy_117.pdf 
To see this exciting change as "scary" seems incredibly short-sited to me. Between the increasing power demands caused by ...