Colorado enjoys 300 days of sunshine every year and we have the 5th best solar potential in the country. Essentially, we are sitting under an energy goldmine . We also have access to some of the nation's best and brightest scientists and researchers at NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research), CU-Boulder and the Colorado School of Mines. Tapping into this clean, homegrown resource will bring more reliable energy, cleaner air, new jobs and greater energy independence for all Coloradans to enjoy.

Employing today's solar power technologies, Colorado can heat and power more than a quarter of a million homes, businesses, farms & schools in the next two decades. It is time for Colorado to Go Solar! Sign the Go Solar! Pledge now.

With an increasing population and an increasing demand for electricity, Colorado must decide where its future energy supply will come from. We are expected to need approximately 4000 additional megawatts (MW) of energy capacity by 2020 to meet our increased demand. That would be like adding eight new coal-fired power plants to the state, each at a typical 500 MW capacity. Instead of continuing to develop more coal and natural gas-fired power plants we should be capitalizing on our abundant solar energy supply. This clean energy will not only save consumers money but it will also grow Colorado's economy, create good new jobs and reduce negative environmental impacts statewide.

Amendment 37, passed in 2004 by Colorado voters, helped to jumpstart solar development in the state by requiring utilities to obtain .4 percent of their energy from solar power. However Colorado must do more to stimulate our solar economy, and in fact, Colorado should be a leader in solar development for the rest of the nation. Because of our high solar potential, the Go Solar! Campaign is proposing a mix of practical steps to encourage more solar development statewide.

Investing in solar, creating a solar economy
Environment Colorado is calling on state legislators to create a Renewable Energy Fund that supports solar energy through tax credits and rebates for builders & end use consumers as well as bonds & tax credits to encourage solar manufacturing. Combined with federal tax credits, these incentives will encourage additional solar development in the state by reducing the overall cost of a solar power system. Just as utilities provide financial incentives to electricity users who reduce their energy consumption, they should provide incentives to reduce natural gas consumption.

To support a growing solar economy we need to create programs that will train skilled professionals to manufacture, install & maintain solar powered units. For the benefit of energy consumers across the state we need to establish a clearinghouse of information about solar power which utilizes government officials, academia, business, labor, and other experts.

New buildings, new solar
Colorado should create policies that encourage homebuilders and developers to increase the use of solar powered systems in commercial construction and new homes. All new schools, hospitals, state and municipal buildings should incorporate solar and other renewable energy. We should institute building code standards for solar and zero energy buildings.

Fair solar access
Any home or business owner who generates solar power should have the right to be connected to the electrical grid and sell excess power to their local utility for a fair price. Right now a fair pricing structure doesn't exist in much of Colorado, but it should. We want to remove barriers so it's easier for residents to go solar. For example, utilities need to remove limits on the amount of electricity and number of users that qualify for grid connection. Also, neither homeowners associations nor local governments should be allowed to restrict solar installation in violation of existing state law. Lastly, the state should develop laws that protect the rights of solar power system owners.