April 2024

Greetings,

In honor of spring fever, we are offering you some gardening thoughts and resources as green starts to overtake brown outside.

We also encourage you to register soon for our annual Summer Solstice Party. While the Eclipse has gotten all the attention, we also like to celebrate the day that the sun shines the longest! Our annual June 20 Party is sure to be lots of fun with food, networking and education. It's also our major annual fundraiser. It's easy to buy tickets here. Or scan the QR code.

Sunny regards,

Rebecca Cantwell

for New Energy Colorado

Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues and let us know what else you would like to read about by emailing us here

Waterwise Gardeners Have Many Options This Spring

Gardeners dream of colorful landscapes and profuse blooms this time of year.

Our outdoor plants, however, consume more than half of all water used in cities and towns, and the importance of being waterwise continues to grow. The Colorado River is the subject of thorny negotiations as levels fall due to warming and drought, so pressure to conserve increases.

One of the first bills signed by Gov. Polis this year after a quick sail through the legislature takes a strong stance. Senate Bill 24-005 will prohibit ornamental grass, invasive plants and artificial turf on most commercial and industrial property starting in 2026 and ban such plantings on state property starting next year. This law follows a 2022 measure that gives local governments and nonprofits funds to help replace thirsty bluegrass with water efficient turf.

I replaced my front lawn late last summer with less thirsty flowering plants and can’t wait to see how they did over the winter. Just to be sure, I ordered a collection from Garden In a Box, a project of Boulder’s Resource Central that offers full gardens designed to thrive in our climate without much water. More and more garden centers are offering native and water-efficient plants, and your water provider probably can provide guidance. Colorado State University Extension is a great resource, and you can access some of their materials here.

While waterwise gardening is important, most of the Colorado River’s water goes to agriculture. A new analysis finds that irrigated agriculture is responsible for 74% of direct human uses. ``Cattle feed crops including alfalfa and other grass hays account for 46% of all direct water consumption,’’ according to the report. The notion that nearly half the River's water goes to feed cattle is certainly going to make me think more about my yogurt and cheese consumption and add to my conviction to quit eating beef!

In the legislature, another bill, SB24-197 would address water conservation by creating greater flexibility in how we manage water, including removing barriers for farmers to participate in conservation programs and ensuring Colorado tribes have funding for their water needs.

Improving Connections to the Grid gets Attention

As more rooftop solar systems and other distributed energy gets connected to the electrical grid, discussions are underway to make the process smoother and easier.

A recent study required under a law passed last year examined barriers to electrification and more distributed energy. Stakeholders complained that in many areas of Xcel’s Colorado territory, the distribution system is out of capacity.

``Therefore, many projects, including existing buildings looking to upgrade their electrical capacity for electrification and EV charging, new all-electric construction, and new mixed-fuel construction, are triggering major distribution system infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the new loads,’’ the study says.

And the costs fall to customers requesting services, which often triggers delays and unexpected costs. Rooftop solar customers have experienced this when they are the “straw that breaks the camel’s back’’ and are expected to pay for upgrades to a system benefitting many, and so have larger customers.

The report makes a series of recommendations to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, including establishing rates that reflect the evolving grid and provide incentives for efficient energy use, while promoting demand flexibility.

Meanwhile, a bill to improve distribution planning and overcome some of the barriers is expected soon in the Colorado legislature.

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Remember the Inflation Reduction Act can help you pay for home improvements to save energy!

Here are some links to helpful information:

Summary of Building Electrification Utility Rebates (loveelectric.org)
Summary of federal residential energy efficiency tax credits: Energy Efficient ---Home Improvement Credit | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)
Fact Sheet on residential clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits: Frequently asked questions about energy efficient home improvements and residential clean energy property credits (irs.gov)
National Database on incentives and rebates: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Home Energy Rebates Frequently Asked Questions | Department of Energy

Information on tax incentives for electric vehicles:

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Monthly Green Home Tour

Niwot near Crestview Lane and Crestview Drive

Sat. Apr 20^th 2024 2:00-4:00

House Features:

1996 4150 sq ft house
5 ton ground source heat pump
13.5 kWh Solar PV – 6.6 kWh of it is ground mounted
Aeroseal ductwork sealing and ductwork repair
Two EVs, including a 1977 MG Midget converted to electric
Induction stove
Hunter Douglas insulated blinds
Passive solar
Future electric water heater will make it 100% electric and zero carbon

Sponsored by New Energy Colorado

and Go Electric Colorado

FOR MORE INFORMATION: julia@goelectriccolorado.org

Upcoming Events

John Avenson's Award-winning

Passive Heated Smart House Tour

April 18, 2024, John Avenson home:

9988 Hoyt Pl. Westminster CO

4:30-6:30 pm

John Avenson's home is one of the most visited Metro Denver Green Homes and is always popular for tour guests. Paul Kriescher hosts a series on PBS called Heart of a Building. Each production requires seed money and John's house is planned for an upcoming episode. This event is a fundraising tour with refreshments and extra tour guides. Please plan to attend and help finance another great episode of Heart of a Building

Homeowner John Avenson, and Paul Kriescher invite you to join them for a Kick-Off Happy Hour serving appetizers, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Networking and tours of the home from 4:30pm to 5:30pm and the Program, including "special guests" is planned from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

Please share this invitation with anyone with a connection to this project, an interest in learning more about the Avenson residence, or a desire to be a sponsor or donor for this episode.

MORE INFORMATION HERE

RSVP to JOHN AVENSON (AVENSON1@HOTMAIL.COM)

OR PAUL KRIESCHER (PAULK@HEARTOFABUILDING.COM)

5th Annual Earth Week Summit April 22 - 27, 2024:

Green Team Academy hosts an Online Global Gathering of Changemakers

In honor of Earth Day, Green Team Academy presents the 5th Annual Earth Week Summit, a six-day online event uniting global changemakers.

April 23,- Industrial Scale Decarbonization:

High Temperature Heat Pump Steam Production

6 pm in Fort Collins NCRES event

More information here