A Resource to Know About - CORE

CORE works cooperatively with businesses, individuals, utilities and government entities to create measurable improvements in energy and water efficiency in order to benefit the environment and develop a more sustainable economy.

 

Photo courtesy of CORE

The Community Office for Resource Efficiency is a nonprofit organization that promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency and green building in western Colorado and beyond.

CORE’s partnerships with individuals, governments, and businesses (which incudes three local utilities) has led to a remarkable series of accomplishments. Our renewable energy and energy efficiency programs will keep 800 million pounds of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere over the next 20 years.  For example, Holy Cross Energy, one of CORE’s utility partners, is buying more wind power than ANY of the nation’s other 929 rural electric utilities, thanks to an innovative green pricing program that CORE promotes.  Additionally, Aspen Municipal Electric and Glenwood Springs Electric System, CORE’s two other utility partners, rank in the top five of the nation’s 2,000 municipal utilities for the percentages of wind power that they purchase.

In 1998, CORE started the nation’s first “solar production incentive” program, which pays local residents $2.00/watt for installing a solar photovoltaic system.  (Up to $6,000 per customer).  Incentives are also available for installing solar hot water systems and purchasing Energy Star appliances. See the cash incentives link for more details.

In 2000, CORE helped start the world’s first Renewable Energy Mitigation Program (REMP), which has raised nearly $8,000,000 over the last seven years.  This money is used to fund various grant programs to lower carbon emissions in the Roaring Fork Valley. For more policy achievements, please go to CORE’s policy initiatives corner.

CORE also tracks national and global energy trends......click to Continue reading