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Summer 2024

Greetings,

With record-breaking heat pounding much of the globe, this is a time of great energy demand - and a time to work towards using energy more efficiently. One important way may be Virtual Power Plants, which aggregate distributed resources to help meet peak demands. Another way to reduce heat-trapping pollution is to replace dirty gas with cleaner electricity - and that's what Colorado's new Clean Heat Plan aims to do. Read more in this issue.


Thanks to those of you who were able to join us for the Summer Solstice Party June 20 - it was a very successful evening with six top climate leaders sharing exciting news of recent victories. Check out photos on the New Energy Colorado website: Solstice Page.

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

Are You Ready to Join a

Virtual Power Plant?


By this time next summer, you may be able to participate in a Virtual Power Plant that uses the extra energy you produce at home to help meet peak demands on the grid and avoid building costly new power plants.


 A new law will require Xcel Energy to create a virtual power plant program by February in Colorado with a special tariff that provides incentives to participate.


Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) include hundreds or thousands of devices at or near homes and businesses that can be combined into a source of electricity when needed by the grid. The Brattle Group found that they could save US utilities $15-35 billion in capacity investment over 10 years. As electricity use is expected to grow rapidly with the demand for AI-fueled data centers, VPPs are drawing increasing attention as a way to quickly add capacity while keeping electricity reliable and affordable.


In some parts of the country, they are already well developed. For example, National Grid, a utility serving customers in New York and Massachusetts, pays customers incentives to enroll their smart thermostats, home batteries, and EVs in the VPP program. National Grid dispatches these devices to balance summer peak demand and avoid costs. Sunrun in California networked more than 16,200 customers’ solar plus storage systems to provide power to the grid during the summer months through its CalReady virtual power plant. It expects to deliver roughly 60 MW of electricity.


In Colorado, Holy Cross Energy is using customers’ battery storage systems to support the grid and provide backup power. Xcel Energy’s current Renewable Battery Connect program provides up to $800/kW for upfront for enrolled residential storage systems. But the new program is expected to jumpstart the sector in Colorado.


In most large VPP programs, sophisticated technology and experts handle the gathering of available power, sending it to the grid, and managing the accounting so that the end customer doesn’t have to worry about the dispatching details. Sunrun CEO Mary Powell said that “a typical customer won’t even notice that they’re sharing their stored power to bolster the grid while getting compensated for doing so.”

In a 2023 white paper, Rocky Mountain Institute estimates that VPPs have the potential to offset or provide 14 percent of peak electric power demand in 2050.


Sources and resources for learning more:

Successful VPP programs have long-term outlook, multiple energy technologies: RMI flipbook | Utility Dive

VPP_reliability_brief.pdf (rmi.org)

Virtual Power Plants, Real Benefits - RMI

Sunrun sets a record in California with the US's largest virtual power plant (electrek.co)

Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) Could Save US Utilities $15-$35 Billion in Capacity Investment Over 10 Years - Brattle

If you want ‘virtual power plants,’ first define them | Utility Dive

Climate CitiSuns Score Wins in Clean Heat Plan


The first-ever Clean Heat Plan for Xcel Energy was recently approved by regulators and marks a victory for Climate CitiSuns.


Regulators at the Public Utilities Commission largely rejected Xcel’s proposals to mix hydrogen in its gas system and use recovered methane. Rather, they adopted the path urged by environmental groups to cut greenhouse gas in its system by switching to electric appliances and pushing more energy efficiency, agreeing that Xcel had overestimated the costs of electrification while downplaying the health benefits.

 

The plan, required by a 2021 law, calls for spending up to $440 million, with more than 70 percent of the budget to help customers reduce the use of fossil methane gas in their homes. The plan is expected to avoid up to 725,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, greater than the savings from Xcel's existing programs.


The PUC is ordering Xcel to ramp up electrification initiatives like all-electric new construction, incentives to switch to heat pumps, stacking incentives from federal funding, and promoting investments for low-income and disproportionately-impacted customers.


The plan will be funded with new fees added to utility bills. Estimates are that the plan will boost gas rates by 7% and electricity rates by 1.1% over the next few years. But climate advocates say that because customers won’t be paying for projects that expand Xcel’s gas network, the cost impacts should lessen over time.


Xcel proposed blending hydrogen with its gas supply, a plan opposed by environmental and health groups. ``There are many unacceptable health, safety, and climate risks associated with blending hydrogen into the residential gas supply," said Lauren Swain, coordinator for PSR Colorado (Physicians for Social Responsibility). And the PUC agreed, saying in its order: ``At this time, there are too many open questions regarding system compatibility for hydrogen blending, additional infrastructure or infrastructure costs, potential contract terms, and actual emission reduction potential to approve any spending now.’’


But those who worked on the plan praised the final outcome, although some want more emphasis on cold-climate heat pumps to provide all of a home's heating and cooling.


“As Xcel’s electric grid rapidly decarbonizes, thanks to the growing use of Colorado’s abundant solar and wind resources, deploying today’s high-performance electric heat pumps is the most efficient way to provide clean heating and cooling of our buildings,” said Chuck Kutscher of CRES (Colorado Renewable Energy Society). “The decision by the Commission to put us on a firm path to building electrification is a triple win for Coloradans because it will greatly reduce outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution, and the greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change.”


More information:

Why Xcel Energy’s new clean heat plan could shift Colorado away from natural gas (cpr.org)

Xcel's Clean Heat Plan Approved with Major Climate Wins | Sierra Club

Read the latest Green News from the New Energy Colorado Blog Solar Power Panel Buyer Beware!

By Wes Geary, NECO Treasurer

Solar is wonderful and it can save consumers money if purchased right. However, I’ve got a cautionary tale from a recent encounter with a company that tried to sell me a larger than necessary solar energy system upgrade. With the current Inflation Reduction Act’s incentives for renewable energy production, solar companies have been given new life and are aggressively pursuing customers to take advantage of the tax credits.

Read More...

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

Here are some links to helpful information:


Information on tax incentives for electric vehicles:


Monthly Green Home Tour


Tour a nearly all-electric home in Broomfield

Sunday July 21 2:00-4:00 PM

Sign up here for free tour: Or add your name to the waitlist


  • House runs safely and code compliant on 100A panel
  • 100% cold climate heat pump central space heating.
  • Tesla Model Y. Level 2 EV charger shares a 30A breaker with electric dryer on a smart switch.
  • 3.5 kW of rooftop solar with micro inverters. This covers about 30% of annual electric use.
  • Energy Star appliances and lighting for 30-90% reduction of waste heat and electricity.


Sponsored by New Energy Colorado

and Go Electric Colorado

FOR MORE INFORMATION: julia@goelectriccolorado.org 


Volunteer to be a Green Homes Docent for our October tour. VOLUNTEER

Upcoming Events

­

Thursday, July 18, 7:00 - 8:30 PM | Hybrid - MDCRES

The Future of Energy Storage – It’s not just for Electric Vehicles

Register here


Saturday August 3 5:30-9:30 PM

Music at the Heart of a Building

 Learn More


­Thursday, August 22, 7:00 - 9:00 PM | Hybrid - JCRES

Recovering Heat From Denver's Waste Water

Register here


Metro Denver Green Homes Tour Lecture Series


Tuesday September 17, “Sunshine Community Solar - Easy, Flexible and Free”, Julie Nelson Community Solar Consultant, 5:30 pm New Terrain Brewery 16401 Table Mt Pkwy. Golden


Thursday September 26, “Homeowner Experiences with Energy conservation, heat pumps and rooftop solar “, Panel moderated by Dr Mark Nimlos, NREL, 7 pm Jefferson Unitarian Church 14350 W. 32nd Ave., Golden 


Thursday October 3, Tour Volunteer Training and Dinner, 5-7 pm, Jefferson Unitarian Church 14350 W. 32nd Ave. Golden .


Thursday October 3, “Xcel Energy : Home Efficiency Program and Rebates'' Paul Koepke, Xcel Energy, 7 pm Jefferson Unitarian Church 14350 W. 32nd Ave, Golden .


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