Greetings,
New Energy Colorado's biggest events of the year are coming up soon! The Metro Denver Green Homes Tour is in its 26th year showcasing some of the most sustainable homes in the metro area on Sat. Oct. 1. Visit homes in Arvada, Broomfield, Golden, Lakewood, Superior and Westminster. Learn how to save money and live more comfortably as you explore heat pumps, solar energy, water-wise landscaping, energy efficiency and ways you can benefit from incentives in the new Inflation Reduction Act. You can also look under the hood at a variety of electric vehicles, walk around a Tiny Home and visit with green vendors at a reception open to all. See details below, and if you are able to volunteer a few hours, we could really use your help! Contact Ellen at ellen@twinsprings.com
Additionally, on Sat. Sept. 17, the Chaffee County Green Homes Tour takes place for the fourth year in Salida, with exceptional homes on display.
Our newsletter this month takes a look at new electric rates that charge more at certain times of day. While hailed as a boon to renewables, some advocates think they need more tweaking.
Sunny regards,
Rebecca Cantwell
for New Energy Colorado
p.s. Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues and let us know what else you would like to read about by emailing us here
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New Electric Rates Encourage Shifting Use Away from Peak Times
As Xcel Energy rolls out smart meters in Colorado, the state's largest utility is switching residential customers to new electricity rates. Time-of-use rates charge more for electrons used when demand is high, and less during other times. They are intended to cut down on peak usage and carbon emissions, and thus slow demand for new power plants. Xcel's rates, adopted after years of debate, will be the default rates imposed on customers after their smart meters are installed, but you can opt out and choose a flat rate if you wish.
The time-of-use rates mean you are charged significantly more for using electricity at certain times of day and more in the summer (June 1 through Sept. 30). The rates are:
- On-Peak : 3 p.m. -7 p.m. (Each KWh: 18 cents Winter, 28 cents Summer)
- Mid-Peak: 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Each KWh: 14 cents Winter, 19 cents Summer)
- Off-Peak: 7 p.m.- 1 p.m. (Each KWh: 11 cents Winter, 11 cents Summer)
Thus, you can save money on your electricity bills by avoiding the use of major electric appliances during peak times. Generally, electric ovens, dishwashers, air conditioners and clothes washers and dryers are big home energy users. So, for example, if you postpone dishwashing until later evening and do your laundry in the morning, you can notice the difference in your bill. You can see how much energy various home appliances use here.
Other utilities are adjusting their rates as well. For example, CORE (previously known as IREA) now includes a component of the bill based on the highest energy demand during peak hours from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. It's all part of a trend seeking to better reflect what energy costs to produce at different times.
Learn more about Xcel Energy's new rates here
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What About Rooftop Solar Rates?
Tens of thousands of customers who paid to install solar power on their roofs will have to wait to reap the benefits of time-of-use rates even though their systems generally produce the most power when Xcel Energy is charging the most: late afternoons in the summer.
Most rooftop solar customers are not expected to be transferred to a time-of-use rate until next summer or later.
The Colorado Solar and Storage Association has protested this delay, saying it is “unjustly discriminatory and shortchanges solar customers. Since 2016, Xcel has known this new rate was coming and expressly studied solar customers as a subgroup in early trials. There is no excuse for singling out this customer group and allowing such an extended delay.”
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Time of Renewables Rates
Renewable Energy advocates have grown increasingly concerned that the current time-of-use rate structure may perpetuate the use of dirty energy at night as electric vehicles ramp up and owners are encouraged to charge at home after work. Colorado’s electrical grid is increasingly clean during the day with large-scale solar projects being completed and starting to produce power. But at night, Xcel is more likely to keep burning more natural gas if electric vehicle charging becomes a bigger part of the mix and the wind is not blowing. Thus, advocates are paying increasing attention to proposing “Time of Renewables’’ rates that would incentivize the use of clean power. For now, that might mean vehicle charging more when solar is abundant by encouraging it at workplaces, shopping areas, and at home before dark. Later it might mean rates would adjust to take advantage of clean power. Advocates are hoping legislation will be introduced next year to encourage such rates.
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Chaffee County
Green Homes Tour
September 17
Begin the tour at the Salida Farmer’s Market (Alpine Park at 5th and E Street) starting at 9 a.m. After touring homes in Buena Vista, Poncha Springs and Salida, join us for a special lecture at 6:30 p.m. in Salida on what the Inflation Reduction Act means for you, featuring energy experts Tom Plant and Jeff Lyng.
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Upcoming Events
Metro Denver Green Homes Tour Lecture Series
Wednesday September 14, 7pm, Bill Lucas of Helio Home, " Electrify your Life / Electrify your Home! "
17695 South Golden Road, Golden. Free and open to the public
Wednesday September 21, 7 pm, Paul Kriescher, Heart of a Building Executive Producer/ Host, "How Durability and Sustainability can save your home: The Story behind one family's home inside the Marshall Fire Burn area " 17695 South Golden Road, Golden. Free and open to the public
Thursday September 29, 7 pm, Conor Merrigan, Program Manager Sustainability - Spirit Environmental, "Scaling up Green Homes to Green Neighborhoods. Jefferson Unitarian Church 14350 W. 32nd Ave. Golden. Free and open to the public
Upcoming CRES Events
SAVE THE DATE
Sunday October 9 from 1-5 pm
CRES 25th Anniversary Celebration
Retreat at Soltera - more details coming soon
Wed. September 14 7pm BCRES live Event
The Future of Transportation and Energy in Colorado
Information/registration here
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Three Stories We Think You'll Want to Read
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