Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) is directing state agencies to prioritize solar, storage and wind projects so they may qualify in time for expiring federal incentives.
The governor’s actions aim to ensure renewable energy projects are able to begin construction or placed in service “as quickly as possible” so they may receive federal tax credits and avoid tariff uncertainty.
To move quickly and ensure energy projects successfully meet eligibility for federal tax credits, Polis instructed state agencies in a letter to investigate and eliminate redundancies and inefficiencies in deploying solar, battery storage and wind resources to the electric grid.
“The goal is to integrate maximal clean energy by securing as much cost-effective electric generation under construction or placed in service as soon as possible, along with any necessary electricity balancing resources and supporting infrastructure,” Polis said. “We further commit, across all relevant agencies, to prioritizing expeditious review of projects as they come into the queue for state consultation and permitting.”
Polis also said Colorado will pursue flexible interconnection and voluntary curtailment for distributed energy and community solar projects, and work to facilitate the pre-purchase of project equipment and affiliated electric transmission and distribution infrastructure.
According to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, new federal policies are projected to increase average Colorado household energy costs by as much as $500 per year by 2035.
“We must provide confidence to the clean energy industry that Colorado is open for business as tariffs, shifting federal rules, supply chain crunches, and market uncertainty risk delaying investment in these affordable domestic energy resources,” Polis said.
The actions also include a new Colorado Energy Savings Navigator, which will help Coloradans determine what tax credits they qualify for to save money on clean energy. The tool enables users to plug in a few relevant details such as their income, and whether they rent or own their home to find out which of the more than 600 energy rebates and 18 different energy bill assistance programs they are eligible for.
“Today we are taking action to ensure that Coloradans can easily access clean energy savings, especially ones that expire soon,” Polis said. “We continue to do all we can to make people aware of how you can reduce costs on energy bills and keep money in your pocket. That’s what the launch of this new tool and executive action are all about.”
According to Rebecca White, Colorado Public Utilities Commission director, only 20% of eligible Coloradans enroll in bill assistance programs, which she attributed to it often taking hours of searching to find these programs. “The CESN tool was developed to change that,” she said.
Wil Gehl, the Solar Energy Industries Association’s InterMountain West senior manager, said the “steps will save Coloradans billions of dollars in avoided energy costs while creating good local jobs and strengthening grid reliability.”
“This action creates a path for continued solar and storage investment in Colorado that will deliver the reliable, affordable power that Coloradans are demanding. It also sets an example for all governors and state leaders to follow across the country,” he said.
Polis has worked to advance and protect the Centennial State’s clean energy for years.
In April, Polis drafted a last-minute bill that would have accelerated the state’s requirement for its investor-owned utilities to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity production by 10 years.
Colorado was the first state to enact a renewable portfolio standard through an initiated state statute and also the first state to enact policy to enable community solar. Polis signed a bill into law last year to modernize its community solar program, start a new dispatchable distributed generation program, upgrade the power grid, and promote energy equity.
Conservation Colorado CEO Kelly Nordini said, “Coloradans know that expanding clean energy and good jobs is a no-brainer. The time to act is now — whether it’s buying an EV or installing a heat pump — while incentives are in place.”
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