Solar Cells Info

Colorado Daily Staff Report,  November 18, 2007
Source: ColoradoDaily.com
http://www.coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/18/news/c_u_and_boulder/news4.txt

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions may be no easy task, but expect Boulder County to be doing its fair share in the upcoming year. The vision for the future: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012 – with Boulder County just one of the 360 U.S. cities representing more than 55.5 million Americans who pledged to dramatically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions this year.

The effort is part of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement want to meet or beat the goals of the international Kyoto Protocol. Greenhouse gases – mostly carbon dioxide from cars, trucks, buses, airplanes, boats, coal plants and burning other fossil fuels – trap heat and warm the planet.

“Our goal is to implement sustainable energy practices while also using taxpayer dollars in an efficient manner,” said Boulder County Sustainability Coordinator Ann Livingston. While renewable energy will play a key role in meeting that goal, this month the County took a significant step towards vastly expanding its installment of renewable energy sources at government facilities, according to a press release issued by Boulder County Commissioners.

To up the ante on cutting the county’s greenhouse gas emissions, the Boulder County Commissioners have contracted Bella Energy to conduct an engineering study that will determine which County properties will provide the optimum opportunity to harness solar power. The project will evaluate County-owned buildings and properties to identify the best design of solar power systems and will position the county to receive rebates and other funding from Xcel Energy.

“By taking this step we will be prepared to install solar systems on County facilities and we’ll be positioned to save hundreds of thousands of public dollars through rebates and other Xcel funding,” said Livingston.

The study is slated to be complete by Dec. 31, and some of the projects may qualify to enter Xcel’s rebate funding queue as early as 2007, during which time Bella Energy will evaluate 10 sites with 16 buildings and then prepare documentation to obtain Xcel Energy Solar Rebate funds. The sites being evaluated are all located within the Xcel Energy service area, and include several Boulder locations such as the Justice Center, Boulder County Courthouse, Clerk and Recorder’s building, and the Recycling Center.

Already, Boulder County has installed one photovoltaic panel (or solar power system) on the roof of the County Courthouse. The system is currently providing electricity for the buildings and will be used to charge four hybrid-electric plug-in vehicles in 2008. While the County is working to provide solar energy to help reduce its carbon footprint, the City of Boulder is also trying its hand at finding ways to substitute alternative energy.

According to Boulder Community Affairs Manager for the Boulder Chamber of Commerce Dan Powers, the annual lighting of the Boulder Star will take a step into the future this year with a new way of lighting up the historic city light. Powers said the week an event will feature the Boulder Star’s new power source, which will provide 100 percent wind power, compliments of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce.