Group eyes 'Net Zero Energy'
UniverCity seeking funds for project
By Jason Kosena
Coloradoan
July 13, 2007
Imagine living in a city where the power produced by renewable and alternative energy practices exceeded the amount of energy residents consumed in a year.
To some, that goal might seem impossible, but the concept is exactly what a group of Fort Collins business and community leaders are attempting to achieve on a smaller scale - and the federal government is taking note with its checkbook out.
The Fort Collins' UniverCity District, which includes the Colorado State University campus, Old Town and the downtown river corridor, is in a prime position to be a worldwide leader in demonstrating the social and economic benefits that could come from a commitment to what is being called "Net Zero Energy," city and business leaders said Thursday.
"The goal of Net Zero Energy is to be a community that is producing (its) own energy," said Kim Jordan, CEO and co-founder of New Belgium Brewing Co., at an event aimed at raising matching funds for a Department of Energy grant the city is competing for.
The city is calling the project FortZED.
"We are really excited about this Department of Energy grant and are really excited about this project," Jordan said.
The $5 million DOE grant requires a minimum of $4 million in matching funds from the community in order to apply to study renewable energy concepts.
Tuesday is the federal deadline for applicants to get the required funding and the project is in need of help.
New Belgium is one of many businesses including Woodward Governor, Eaton and Caterpillar, among others, that have donated almost $3.6 million in matching funds with the Downtown Development Authority board giving another $250,000.
Although the project is only about $100,000 short of the minimum $4 million in matching funds, the race to next Tuesday is imperative for the city and the project, Jordan said.
Retrofitting a city the size of Fort Collins with the proper infrastructure and technology to produce more energy than it consumes is not impossible scientifically, but it would require a lot of money and time, said Sunil Cherian, CEO of Spirae, a Fort Collins company working in energy technology.
"This is an ambitious undertaking," Cherian said. "But, if we can win this DOE grant and make this happen, we are really going to position Fort Collins as a key leader in the industry and an important place where this (kind of) research is going on."
The concept of using the UniverCity District as a small test case would be good for Fort Collins, especially if the federal government is sending millions in matching funds to help, Mayor Doug Hutchinson said.
If funds can be secured, partnerships between the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, CSU, the city and private businesses could help usher in renewable energy companies to headquarter in and around the UniverCity District, creating a new economic base, Hutchinson said.
"This really is an exciting time for the city of Fort Collins, UniverCity Connections and the downtown area," Hutchinson said. "I believe this could move Fort Collins into the new energy economy (by) bringing primary jobs in the renewable energy sector to the area."
And that is what the project is all about.
Creating Net Zero Energy on a community level requires a buy-in and commitment from public, academic and private industry, which creates a market for the concept.
That community buy-in is being seen by the fast matching funds the project has raised in the past couple weeks.
"I think this has potential to attract other new businesses and new talent to the area and would send a great statement to everyone about what our focus is here in Fort Collins," Jordan said.
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