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Give Summit County some rules for community solar and they'll be ready with the application to get an array up and running.
High Country Conservation Center staff is hoping for those rules this week, when the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association is expected to release the rules for the application and construction process. Those rules should govern which applications are accepted and which are denied, and guide future construction — which could be as soon as this summer.
Once the rules come through, energy programs manager Lynne Greene can start calculating costs to buy into the proposed community-supported solar array in Summit County.
The goal is to apply to tap into incentives for building such an array in the county, Greene said. She's held several interest meetings throughout Summit County, getting individuals and businesses to tentatively commit to purchasing a certain amount of power from the array.
Currently, there's buy-in to build a system that supports purchasers of 2 mega-watts or more as well as a system to provide 500 kilowatts or less. Buyers would pay up front for the arrays, and receive “free” energy as the investment pays off. There's also some work toward creating a pay-as-you-go system that acts more like an energy bill. The latter prospect has more layers, such as finding investors who want to take the risk.
Both projects have land informally dedicated to their construction — and both are in Breckenridge. The first is north of Coyne Valley Road, in a very visible section of town, “which could be good or bad,” Greene said, adding that it has adjacent property owner support. The second is slated to be installed near the Breckenridge Stables, tucked away near the Wellington Neighborhood. Neither location prevents anyone in the county from buying the energy, Greene said.
With signatures and property possibilities in place, Greene can submit an application as soon as the rules are released, she said.
Both projects are contingent upon application approval, but Greene doesn't foresee either being dismissed. If approved, they could be built as soon as this summer.
“Summit County looks really good,” Greene said. “In my mind, we're a shoe-in, but I'm not Xcel.”
High Country Conservation Center staff is hoping for those rules this week, when the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association is expected to release the rules for the application and construction process. Those rules should govern which applications are accepted and which are denied, and guide future construction — which could be as soon as this summer.
Once the rules come through, energy programs manager Lynne Greene can start calculating costs to buy into the proposed community-supported solar array in Summit County.
The goal is to apply to tap into incentives for building such an array in the county, Greene said. She's held several interest meetings throughout Summit County, getting individuals and businesses to tentatively commit to purchasing a certain amount of power from the array.
Currently, there's buy-in to build a system that supports purchasers of 2 mega-watts or more as well as a system to provide 500 kilowatts or less. Buyers would pay up front for the arrays, and receive “free” energy as the investment pays off. There's also some work toward creating a pay-as-you-go system that acts more like an energy bill. The latter prospect has more layers, such as finding investors who want to take the risk.
Both projects have land informally dedicated to their construction — and both are in Breckenridge. The first is north of Coyne Valley Road, in a very visible section of town, “which could be good or bad,” Greene said, adding that it has adjacent property owner support. The second is slated to be installed near the Breckenridge Stables, tucked away near the Wellington Neighborhood. Neither location prevents anyone in the county from buying the energy, Greene said.
With signatures and property possibilities in place, Greene can submit an application as soon as the rules are released, she said.
Both projects are contingent upon application approval, but Greene doesn't foresee either being dismissed. If approved, they could be built as soon as this summer.
“Summit County looks really good,” Greene said. “In my mind, we're a shoe-in, but I'm not Xcel.”
