New Green Energy Projects Coming to Denver

The Denver City Council has approved a $26 million-dollar contract to construct and operate over a dozen solar array projects. Solar arrays are going to be installed at several parks and recreation centers and at least one Denver Public Schools high school campus. The project is set to break ground early next year.

The Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency (CASR) has the goal of transitioning the city to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030. This contract is a major step forward in reaching that goal, with an estimated 30 percent of the power generated allocated to low-income housing and Denver Public School families. Through energy savings and solar incentive payments from Excel, CASR hopes to use profits from the new solar arrays to fund new solar projects which will benefit low-income households.

A major part of Denver’s Climate Protection Fund, approved by voters at the end of 2020, is to provide workforce training and create new green job opportunities. This solar contract is one of the first major projects funded by the Climate Protection Fund, with hopes that future projects will be rolled out more quickly.

“We have an incredible opportunity right now to maximize our Climate Protection Fund dollars to benefit Denverites on many fronts,” says Jonathan Rogers, Denver’s Renewable Energy Specialist. “We’re putting Denver on a healthier path with renewable energy, we’re reducing the financial burden on families and we’re creating the workforce of the future with high-quality training.”

In addition to this major investment in solar, CASR is also introducing an incentive program for Human Service Providers (such as food pantries, housing providers, and child care centers), which will provide funding to install equipment that runs on green energy. The Denver Solar Co-Op is an additional resource for those looking to lower solar costs, offering group-purchasing options and rebates. Applications for this program are currently being accepted and reviewed.