by ERC Blogger | Aug 4, 2020 | In the News
If you live in or near Colorado Springs, you have likely heard about the decision to shut down the Martin Drake Power Plant in order for the city to pursue renewable energy options. Not only that, they are also planning to do it 12 years earlier than initially...
by James O'Brien | Mar 12, 2020 | Articles, Community, Environmental Education, In the News, Solar
(photo: Ben Turner, Hoosier Energy) A January 2020 article from Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) discusses how solar panels have been making a positive impact on farmland throughout the country. On some land, solar panels are the only feature and create a steady stream...
by James O'Brien | Feb 26, 2020 | Energy Saving Tips, Solar
An article in Fast Company highlights Soleil Lofts in the Salt Lake City metro area, built with solar panels on the rooftops and distributed battery storage in every apartment. Putting batteries in each unit is an aesthetic choice, to be sure, but it’s also...
by James O'Brien | Feb 21, 2020 | Uncategorized
The housing crisis is complicated. It looks different in big cities versus small towns and was historically caused by a raft of federal, state, and local policies around zoning, suburbanization, and segregation. Add in more modern problems like a building shortage and...
by James O'Brien | Jan 30, 2020 | Energy Saving Tips, Solar
Solar cells have historically had an efficiency problem, with less than 30% of the energy in sunlight being converted into electricity. A group of chemists at UT-Austin and UC-Boulder are hoping to gain some of that energy loss back, using organic dyes on the surface...
by James O'Brien | Jan 25, 2020 | Community, Solar
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe of southwestern Colorado is in the process of building a one-megawatt solar array, offsetting at least 10% of their reservation’s energy usage. Tribal lands are thought to be excellent spots for wind and solar projects, as they are...
by James O'Brien | Jan 21, 2020 | In the News, Solar
The business sector has found creative ways to participate in renewable energy and conservation movements. Fifth Third Bank recently became the first Fortune 500 company to “achieve 100% renewable energy from a single solar project,” according to the Cincinnati...
by James O'Brien | Jan 16, 2020 | Environmental Education, In the News
Thus far, electric vehicles have been trendy in the consumer vehicle market, especially as these cars are being developed for ever-longer distances between charges. The demand for electric commercial fleets, particularly for heavy vehicles, hasn’t quite yet arrived...
by Rylee Lay | Nov 26, 2019 | Uncategorized
We tend to think of wind power as a modern phenomenon, but societies have been using it for energy for thousands of years. Using the wind to pilot ships has been around for ages, as have windmills for food production. In the U.S. in the 19th century, windmills were...
by Rylee Lay | Nov 20, 2019 | Uncategorized
The State of Colorado recently made a deal with major automakers regarding zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) requirements in the state. Colorado will adopt California’s plan starting in model year 2023. The state-federal battle over efficiency and emission standards...
