March 3rd 2015 updates

Fort Collins Council votes tonight for a resolution to adopt the Climate Action Plan. The plan is expected to pass. This plan provides a level of official support for the campaigns that we work on including increasing building efficiency, expanding renewables, and improving public transportation. The plan does not include other priorities of CforSE including expanding urban agriculture.

March 2nd was the first day of the new and improved Home Efficiency Loan Program from Fort Collins Utilities!  Homeowners are now eligible for 2.5% over 20 years for efficiency improvements. These terms mean that, in many cases, the savings will be greater then the monthly "loan" payment, resulting in a net monthly savings and a more comfortable and valuable home! Call 970-221-6700 for details.

Our current Fort Collins campaign to establish a grading system for building efficiency and require disclosure in advertising is gaining momentum.  500 residents have now written to Council in support. Councilmen Bob Overbeck, Wade Troxell, Ross Cuniff, and Gerry Horak have met with me to discuss the idea and they have each expressed support. City Manager Darin Atteberry is in the process of organizing the proper city staff to talk about development and implementation. Kevin Gertig, Utilities Director, and John Phelan, Utilities engineer, have stated that they think that FCU can develop the grading system and our energy auditors can implement that part of it. Similar programs have been implemented in 12 cities across the U.S.

I'd like to get the property managers and realtors to provide input. So far they are not interested in working on this, but I'll keep reaching out. 

Fort Collins City Council votes on our campaign!

Reporting live from City Hall:  Fort Collins Utilities is proposing the adoption of an "On Bill Tariff" program. The program allows Utils. to pay for efficiency upgrades to a building and then use the energy savings generated to pay for the upgrade. It is important to homeowners and renters to provide the capital needed for upgrades to save energy and money on bills, as well as making homes more comfortable and reducing Fort Collins' energy footprint.

CforSE has been working to get Council and Utilities to prioritize the proper functioning of this program since 2010. The modifications proposed tonight allow more people to participate and save more money, especially lower income homeowners and renters. CforSE supports the staff recommended changes with the addition of changing the maximum terms of financing from 15 years to 20 years for efficiency remodels that will last at least 20 years. Councilmembers Gerry Horak, Ross Cuniff, and Bob Overbeck have voiced support for 20 yr terms.

...That was such a long and tedious meeting that my laptop died!

The result:  Council voted 7-0 in favor of the proposal and the 20 yr terms, and they asked staff to bring back an option for lower interest rates!

I have to thank all of our CforSE members and supporters over the years for making this happen! Your contributions give us the resources to fight these battles and your VOICE is the fire under the butt of City government that makes victories like this happen. I'd also like to thank Gerry Horak, who is running for Council this year, and Wade Troxell, who may be running for Mayor, for their added input and dedication to getting this program done right.

Fort Collins: Energy Grade Disclosure in Advertising

Happy New Year! A new year, a new campaign in Fort Collins! Since 2010 we have been working to get Fort Collins to adopt a financing mechanism for energy efficiency remodels. The model for such a program is called How$mart and it has been working very well for utilities around the country. Now, finally, on January 20, 2015 City Council will be voting on adopting a similar program. It is not perfect, but it is a huge step in the right direction and once it is ready we will be advocating to property-owners to check it out and see if it will work for them (coming to renters next January).

This program removes the cost barrier to efficiency remodels by using the energy savings generated to pay for the remodel. Now that you can get a remodel for free, we can start working on incentivizing property owners to go through the effort of getting it done. If you live in your home then you have incentive to improve comfort, lower bills, and save the Earth. But if you rent your home or business location, then you have to convince the landlord to go through the effort. To incentivize the effort we are proposing that a building's energy grade be published in any advertising for that building's sale or lease. The advertising will include the following line:  "This building as an energy grade of '__'. A building with a grade of 'A' is as efficient as it can be and will have lower monthly energy bills relative to a similar building with a grade of 'F'. Any building that has not had an audit will receive a grade of 'F'." 

This grading system allows renters or buyers to compare buildings and chose the more efficient building if they desire. The grading system gives prospective buyers/renters the power of choice. It rewards responsible property owners by providing market value for their improvements. And it incentivizes property owners to use the free efficiency remodel services that are available. Council members Gerry Horak and Ross Cunniff have stated support for the idea. Gerry took it to the executive of the Fort Collins Board of Realtors who showed interest in the proposal.

You can help by emailing the City leaders and telling them why you support "Energy Grade DIsclosure in Advertising". Your voice through email can help to get City leaders to take the issue seriously.

Fort Collins Energy Efficiency Financing almost there

Throughout 2014 we have been bugging the crap out of Fort Collins Utilities to improve their On-Bill Financing program. The current version of the program doesn't make financial sense for most folks. Simply put, the interest rate is too high and the terms are too short for energy savings to pay for itself. So we have been advocating for the adoption of a program modeled after Kansas' How$mart. In October Fort Collins Utilities announced a similar proposal that will work for many people and leaves the door open for future improvements which we will continue to advocate for. This January City Council is expected to vote for the adoption of the proposal. While we are extremely excited that 4 years of our work will finally lead to success, we are also remaining on guard. In the past Council has screwed up a good idea at the last minute, so we must remain vigilant! The vote is scheduled for January 20th. We'll let ya know as the date approaches so you can come to show support.

Community Solar Gardens for Longmont & Loveland

Community Solar Gardens (CSG) built and maintained by Clean Energy Collective are the easiest and most affordable way that we've found for most people to own solar power. The CSG is a centrally located solar array that you can buy a piece of.

With CSGs you can own solar panels without having to put anything on your roof.  It is typically cheaper than rooftop solar because many people are going in together to buy the panels and Clean Energy Collective has the experience and knowledge to get the best deal around. Because of this, and because Clean Energy Collective does the maintenance, they warranty your panels for 50 years.  That's twice the warranty of rooftop solar!  It's the best deal on solar that we can find and that's why we are shamelessly promoting it!

So why doesn't Longmont have access to CSGs?  The rest of Boulder County does.  Fort Collins and Denver do.  Colorado Springs, Aurora, and Weld County do.  Where's Longmont?  We are canvassing Longmont this fall to organize citizen voice to ask our City leaders that exact question.  Email them here and ask, "Why don't Longmont residents have access to Community Solar Gardens?"

Patrick, Steven, Dave, Ryan, and Fred are knocking on doors to raise awareness of this energy issue and organize Longmont citizen support to bring this sustainable energy opportunity to town.

Thank you for your support!

Your electric co-op has a choice...

Tri-State still has plans to invest $2.2 Billion in a 700 MW coal plant in Kansas.  They can build that plant and create some jobs in KS and put a lot of money into Peabody Coal's pocket, or they can invest in efficiency and renewable energy projects throughout their territories and create jobs in your community.  CforSE is organizing co-op member support on the Eastern Plains, in Northern Colorado and on the West Slope to hold our electric co-ops accountable to investing your dollars in your community instead of shipping them off to KS and Peabody Coal.

Community Solar Gardens are already generating energy in local co-ops around CO at half the cost of building the new coal plant in KS.  And that doesn't include the cost of coal to fuel the plant. Of course, the sun don't shine at night.  To provide energy when the sun isn't shining there are a variety of options:  Micro Hydro (like at Taylor Res. in Gunnison), pump storage (Excel has this in Georgetown) which can use solar to pump water uphill during the day and then release it through a turbine at night, wind turbines, electric car storage (in the future), geothermal, mechanical storage, and a bunch of others.  Each of these options creates local energy sector jobs.  If absolutely need be natural gas can be used.  

If Tri-State generates their 700 MW through solar gardens then they will still have another $1.2 Billion to invest in the above technologies.  If they create a robust energy efficiency program like How$mart then they won't need 700 MW and can save even more money, plus reduce their members' bills, and create jobs for local efficiency remodeling contractors!

Tri-State is a co-op of co-ops.  They are owned by you and the other 1.5 million Tri-State co-op members.  Their mission is to provide you with reliable, low cost energy.  Building a new coal plant does not fit in this mission and does not serve the needs of the members, but it's what they know how to do and it is a lot easier then learning how to do renewables and helping folks become more energy efficient.  Tri-State employees (your employees) need you to direct them to invest in the future - efficiency and renewables.  They need you to hold them accountable to doing the best job, even if it is something new and more difficult to do.

Email Tri-State and tell them to invest in local scale renewables and energy efficiency instead of a new coal plant.

We’re Taking CforSE to the Next Level…Will You Join Us?

It’s been an eventful and successful seven years since we began our CforSE journey way back in 2006. We’ve been advocating for healthier sustainable energy practices and empowering individuals to act as a community and taking names along the way!

We live to defend our beautiful state by working toward sustainable energy as well as a healthy economy and social condition without compromising future generation’s ability to do the same.  Colorado is a magical place and we intend to keep that magic intact for generations to come.

We’ve experienced some amazing wins along the way! We assisted in improving the Fort Collins bus system, organized support to get a Community Solar Garden in Durango, helped to get safer drilling practices in Northern Colorado towns, and continue to prod Fort Collins Utilities and Colorado’s electric co-op’s to improve energy efficiency programs for customers.

We are determined to take the decision making process out of the “backroom” where special interests often hold the power and bringing it back to the people so that citizens can influence the process.

Now we’re asking YOU to empower us to help get this message out to a larger segment of our community.

There are few ways you can help us do this.

1. We have set a goal to raise $5,000 by July 31, 2014 to further our mission and stop the construction of an unneeded new coal plant. We can easily reach this goal if each of you donate a small amount ($15 – $25), and of course more is always welcome 

2. FWD this blog post to your friends and encourage them to sign up to receive our updates.

3. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Google+ and help share our message through your social networks.

Will you help us?

If so, donate now.

We are so grateful for all of our amazing proponents in our quest for safe, healthy, and happy environment, economy and social condition in Colorado. We love our state so much and we know that you do too. Help us help Colorado and let’s do this together!