Energizer Newsletter

September 3, 2008

Volume 1, Issue 13

Past Issues

The Live Wire EmPowered E3 (Extension’s Energy Exchange)

by Leigh Fortson
Extension Regional Communications Coordinator and REA (Renewable Energy Advocate)

CSU in the News

Newsweek named Colorado State University one of the greenest universities in the nation.

In an article titled "Green, Greener, Greenest," Newsweek quotes President Penley about the university's efforts to provide a wide range of environmental courses and experiences for students.

Colorado State University sets a standard as a sustainable and environmentally responsible institution and the nation's "green" leader. This commitment has taken the form of a three-part strategy:

  • green campus operations
  • educating tomorrow's green workforce, and
  • deploying research through enterprise-based solutions.
alternative fuel

The article references CSU's plans to build a 65-megawatt wind farm that will provide more power than the university currently consumes, and Envirofit International, a CSU startup that has created a more efficient, cleaner-burning two-stroke engine that is now being retrofitted on taxis in the Philippines. Envirofit has also created a clean-burning cook stove to help improve indoor air pollution, which is the leading cause of death of women and children, under age five, in the developing world.

Other CSU green initiatives in the past year:

  • Ranked second in the nation in recycling compared with 400 colleges and universities around the nation
  • Created the Clean Energy Supercluster, a new method of more quickly transferring clean and renewable energy research into the commercial market
  • Created the new School of Global Environmental Sustainability to educate the growing "green" workforce by giving every student some environmental experience, internship or course by the time they graduate.

As Extension continues to educate communities about renewable energy options and sustainable practices, we will be expanding CSU’s reputation as the Green Leader!

County Collaboration for the Greener Good

Mark Platten, Teller County Extension Director reported that the Colorado Springs/Pikes Peak region is embarking on The Green Cities Coalition “to promote ecologically, economically and socially healthy cities in El Paso County, for the benefit of present and future residents of the Pikes Peak region.” Following are the latest developments in the eight working groups of the Coalition:

1. Web site: The Web site - www.greencoloradosprings.org - will soon have a "Green Map" to list and map nearly 150 green-friendly businesses and organizations. They have established a Website Working Group to move the site forward. Contact: Christi Harris, charris@mtc-inc.com.

2. Faith Community: There are a number of upcoming events that link spirituality and ecology. The most prominent is a two-night series in September with Richard Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals (see web site for more information). The Coalition-Building Working Group is exploring how to reach a wider faith community. Contact: Patrick Ayers, ayerspatrick@hotmail.com.

3. County Parks: The El Paso County Park Advisory Board unanimously approved a Sustainability Action Plan prepared by Allison Plute and Team Green, a group of Park Department employees. The plan includes collaborating with the Green Team from the city of Colorado Springs, reducing electricity usage by 10 percent by the end of the year and maintaining recycling bins in parks.

4. Recycling Solutions: The Recycling Working Group hosted a luncheon with the recycling directors from Fort Collins and Lafayette on August 22 to learn what other communities have done. To find out what they learned, contact Alicia Archibald at Alicia@bettrrecycling.com.

5. More wind power: The Energy Working Group met with Colorado Springs Utilities staff on August 20th on how to expand wind power in the region. Call Scott Harvey at bentonyoga@gmail.com to find out more.

6. Green Kit for Kids: Richard Skorman (Poor Richard's) is planning to open a shop called The Conservation Store, which will stock gadgets and tools for energy and water conservation. If Richard could develop a Green Kit with 5-8 conservation devices, it could be a fundraiser for school kids (selling something good for the environment instead of candy bars). If you have any experience in product packaging or school fund-raising, contact Steve at sustain@ppjpc.org.

7. The Greenest: The Independent is accepting ballots for its annual "Best of Colorado Springs" edition. Some of the categories might be worth voting in, for example, Best Hiking Trail, Best Activist or Best Bicycle Shop. To exercise your franchise, visit www.csindy.com and click on the Vote Now button in the upper right. (By the way, you have to vote in at least 10 categories for the ballot to count!)

* * *

El Paso County Extension is obviously on task. In addition to being involved in the Green Cities Coalition, they also held a two-part wind and solar power workshop on August 12 that attracted approximately 75 attendees.

wind energy

John Covert, Executive Director of Colorado Working Landscapes enlightened attendees about the various types of windmills available to private landowners and the various settings in which they could be used. He also fielded questions on a wide range of topics including energy storage, insurance and policy.

Ken Regeleson, owner of Five Star Consultants, provided information about the increasing use of solar panels, the current technology available, how to find a certified installer and the future of the solar industry.

Deborah Mathis with Colorado Springs Utilities was on hand to answer questions about how the local utility company can help homeowners with renewable energy projects.

Hats off to El Paso County for proactively teaming up with agencies and community members to educate and inspire their communities.

NREL Educating Extension

Deb Young pulled together a group of Extension agents and specialists to participate in a conference call with wind energy expert, Larry Flowers, and Jim Bosch, both of the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). The objective was to see how we can partner with NREL so agents can learn more about renewables and then communicate that information to our clients.

Flowers suggested that we avoid attempting to educate all agents on all types of clean energy. Rather, teach the agents in good wind territory about wind; those in good geothermal territory about that, and so on. Makes sense.

The pilot project will focus on wind. NREL will invite agents from land grant universities across the West who can join with agents from Colorado’s windiest counties. Then, NREL will put on a workshop so participants will be equipped to go back into their communities and answer questions that may have eluded them before. This is a great first step to educating agents so they can educate the public at large.

As time goes on, we’ll work with NREL to branch and out provide workshops for Western States agents on solar, biomass, geothermal and other clean energy industries. Stay tuned!

biomass

Meanwhile, Bosch provided the following links that may come in handy.

GEO Update (www.colorado.gov/energy)

The Governor's Energy Office (GEO) has selected Good Steward Software's EnergyCAP utility tracking tool to manage and report energy and water use.

Through an Executive Order of Governor Bill Ritter, the State's "lead by example" program seeks to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent and water consumption by 10 percent in State buildings by 2012, against baseline of state fiscal year 2005-06.

Under Governor Ritter's plan, all state departments, agencies and offices will report electric, heating fuel, and water consumption through the EnergyCAP software. Higher Education, because of their unique environment, will have individual databases.

Good Steward now provides preferred pricing to Colorado local governments, schools, and political subdivisions through a State price agreement. The pricing is based on population or student enrollment.

To learn about Good Steward's preferred pricing plan for Colorado state organizations, please contact sales@energycap.com or 877-327-3702.

Presidential POV: Energy

According to Solar Energy International, both candidates for president have shared ambitious energy plans. Barack Obama has said "I don't believe that climate change is just an issue that's convenient to bring up during a campaign. I believe it's one of the greatest moral challenges of our generation." John McCain says "In a world of hostile and unstable suppliers of oil, this nation will achieve strategic independence by 2025."

Obama

Obama's plan calls for investing $150 billion over 10 years in clean energy, and requiring that 25% of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal by 2025. He also proposes doubling fuel economy standards within 18 years, and reducing carbon emissions 80% by 2050 through a cap and trade system.

McCain

McCain's plan calls for expanding domestic oil and natural gas exploration and production, and investing $2 billion annually in clean coal technologies. He also proposes a $5,000 tax credit for every customer who buys a zero carbon emission car, and the construction of 45 new nuclear power plants by 2030 with the ultimate goal of eventually constructing 100 new plants.

Read about their respective energy plans by clicking on the following links:
Obama's energy plan: my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy
McCain's energy plan: www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/

Bright News for Our Future

According to 25x25, a dozen industry projects have been selected by the U. S. Department of Energy as candidates for a government investment of up to $24 million in Fiscal Year 2008 and beyond subject to the availability of funds to develop solar energy products to significantly accelerate penetration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, John Mizroch, said the Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems (SEGIS) projects will provide critical research and development funding to develop less expensive, higher performing products to enhance the value of solar PV systems to homeowners and business owners.

What does that mean for Coloradoans? If all goes well, we—and the rest of the nation—should be the beneficiaries of the R&D so that, as Mizroch puts it “the projects will lay the groundwork for high levels of solar photovoltaic market penetration and help make solar power cost-competitive with conventional sources of electricity.”

Each day that the sun rises, we’re closer to affordable and convenient solar technology. Knowing this can motivate Extension to do whatever we can to prepare ourselves and the public for the time when solar energy becomes a mainstream choice of power. For a list of the projects being funded by SEGIS funds, go to: www.energy.gov/news/6477.htm

Upcoming Events

September 15

Colorado State University, with support from Governor’s Energy Office, is now offering a Green Homes Certificate Program. The program will consist of thirteen sessions on sustainable residential buildings with meetings on Mondays from 5:30 to 9:00 pm (plus one Saturday site visit).

The program runs from September 15 through December 15, 2008, and takes place at the CSU campus in Fort Collins. Visit the CSU website for more information or call 970-491-3260.

September 25-26

The University of Wyoming is sponsoring Consumer Issues Conference: Focus on Energy and Telecommunications www.uwyo.edu/consumerconference

October 15-16

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer will be the keynote speaker at Transition to a Bioeconomy: Environmental and Rural Development Impacts. The conference will be at the Hyatt Regency-Union Station, St. Louis, Mo. Secretary Schafer will address public policy challenges for the bioeconomy. Also featured on the program will be Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas Dorr. Conference program details, registration options and hotel information are available at the Farm Foundation Web site, www.farmfoundation.org. The conference is a collaboration of Farm Foundation, and USDA's Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, Rural Development, Economic Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Forest Service.

November 5-6th, Atlanta, Georgia

The Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Symposium 2008 will highlight the latest technologies and applications of green and energy efficient products and services. The two-day program will focus on industrial, manufacturing and facilities operations and will provide in-depth sessions on these topics, as well as numerous networking opportunities.

Learn Best Practices and New Opportunities in:

  • Green Building Practices
  • Corporate Sustainability
  • Green Manufacturing
  • Renewable Energy
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Financing for Green and Energy Efficient Projects
  • How to Make Your Products and Services Green and Sustainable

Details about presentations and times are available online. www.greentechnewsmag.com/energy08_program.php. You can also download the program in PDF format: www.greentechnewsmag.com/images/EESPreliminaryBrochure.pdf

For questions regarding the program, please contact Joanna Larez at joannal@infowebcom.com.

Solar Energy International’s summer workshops still having openings. If you'd like to learn about straw bale construction, solar hot water, biodiesel, or implementing projects in the developing world, check out the workshops below.

Straw Bale Design & Natural Plaster
Paonia, CO • September 15 – 19

Sustainable Home Design Online
October 27 - December 5

CSU Energy Website

To learn more about wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels, visit our energy website at: www.ext.colostate.edu/energy.

Furthermore

Go to hes.lbl.gov/hes/db/zip.shtml and you can do an online calculation of your own energy use and carbon footprint. It’s easy to use. Tell your communities about it.

Leigh Fortson
Extension Regional Communications Coordinator and REA (Renewable Energy Advocate)
Colorado State University Extension
2764 Compasss Drive, Suite 232
Grand Junction, CO 81506-8746
(970) 241-3346, FAX (970) 241-3643
leigh.Fortson@ColoState.EDU

Updated Monday, August 29, 2011