The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that two Colorado counties were among the three largest U.S. counties with the fastest job growth rate in 2014. On top of that, Colorado ranked No. 3 overall for the rate of job growth among states. Weld County topped the list for a second straight year and […]
Denver’s Rent Report Card
August 12, 2015 by Leave a Comment
With rent constantly on the rise, the good news is that according to a new report from Apartment List, renters are extremely satisfied with the state of Colorado, as well as with the city of Denver. Colorado ranked 4th for renter confidence, receiving high marks for city satisfaction, and Denver ranked 15th out of the […]
Best Place for Business and Careers
August 3, 2015 by Leave a Comment
In Forbes latest annual ranking, Denver is America’s best place for business and careers out of 200 cities. It’s the first time in the 17-year history of the Forbes’ ranking that Denver has hit the top spot. Denver ranked No. 4 on Forbes’ list last year. In 2013, Denver came in at No. 6. Other […]
Colorado: A Key Place for Renewable Energy
May 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment
NextEra Energy Resources LLC, the biggest renewable-energy power company in North America, is spending another $640 million on two massive new wind farms in eastern Colorado. That’s on top of the $2 billion the company has already invested in seven existing wind farms in Colorado that collectively generate 1,175 megawatts worth of power. The company […]
Solar*Connect Shut Down
February 6, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Solar*Connect (XCEL’s solar power program that would have allowed customers to pay a premium on their monthly utility bills to support solar energy) has officially been shut down by Colorado utility regulators. The utility planned to allow customers to buy blocks of solar power equal to a percentage of their monthly power usage, from 25 […]
Price of Solar Power Panels Dropping
November 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The price of solar power panels dropped as much as 19 percent nationwide in 2013 and is expected to drop by as much as 12 percent in 2014. The price of solar power panels for utility-scale projects fell below $2 per watt in 2013 and have continued to drop in 2014 to about $1.80 per […]
Part 3: The Future of Solar
October 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Colorado consumers and the economy could greatly benefit if home builders had a more predictable and consistent program in place for the widespread installation of solar systems in new subdivisions. A typical homeowner can save more than $40,000 over 30 years by reducing energy bills 50 percent with standard rooftop solar system on an efficient […]
Part 2: New Community Solar Power Systems
October 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Community solar is a clean energy plan solution that combines both accessibility and financial sense to the average person or business, and two Xcel community solar power systems, each capable of generating 500 kilowatts of power, have recently opened in Denver. Community solar expands the solar power market to customers who can’t put solar power […]
Part 1: The History of Community Solar
October 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Community solar is the name given to commercial-sized solar power systems in which individuals or businesses can buy or lease individual solar power panels and get credit off their monthly bill for the renewable power generated by the systems. The first system came online in Colorado in 2009, when United Power, an electric cooperative serving […]