Solar Power Colorado to Launch Local Government Program

February 6, 2012 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Solar Power Colorado to Launch Local Government Program to
Accelerate Solar Use across Colorado

Governor Hickenlooper, solar CEOs, & local officials to participate in the
state’s largest business-to-business solar conference and expo
on February 9-10, 2012 in Loveland, Colorado

LOVELAND, CO – As hundreds of solar energy leaders and government officials head to Loveland later this week to attend Solar Power Colorado, the industry’s annual conference, they’ll be joining forces to battle an unlikely foe – soft costs. Permitting complexity, regulatory burdens, and other non-hardware costs, also known as “soft costs”, can increase the cost of going solar by up to 50%. This will be a major focus at this upcoming conference.

Solar Power Colorado is the largest business-to-business solar conference and expo in the state. It takes place February 9-10, 2012 at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in Loveland, Colorado. Solar executives are traveling from across the U.S. to attend. Governor John Hickenlooper will deliver the keynote address to an audience of hundreds of solar executives from across the U.S. to reinforce Colorado's national leadership in energy.

Currently most local government officials develop plans for solar permits, inspection and related processes separately. This program initiates a public-private partnership to jointly highlight best practices and to streamline processes to help promote rapid adoption of solar. It was spurred by a U.S. Department of Energy initiative, and developed by coalition of local governments and nonprofits including the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), Rocky Mountain Institute, Denver, Boulder County, Fort Collins, Golden and American Solar Energy Society.

“Solar use has increased rapidly across Colorado, but it can be a challenge for key industry partners to keep pace with today’s rapidly changing technology,” said Neal Lurie, Executive Director of COSEIA, which organized this conference.  “Solar Power Colorado helps local governments and businesses understand the emerging trends and build the partnerships needed to make it easy to go solar.” 

Solar Power Colorado will also explore how significant investments in solar finance are spurring growth, and how Colorado’s new Solar Thermal Roadmap could awaken the ‘sleeping giant of renewable energy’. Conference sessions will discuss current challenges including utility program changes and regulatory decisions to watch. They will also highlight innovative and new solar products ready for takeoff.

Headline presenters include Rhone Resch, CEO of the Solar Energy Industry Association based on Washington DC. He will be joined by two of the solar industry’s top global analysts – Paula Mints, Navigant’s Principal Solar Analyst and Travis Bradford, author of the book Solar Revolution – as well as national policy expert Adam Browning, Executive Director of the Vote Solar Initiative in a ‘State of the Industry’ panel discussion.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar is the fastest growing energy technology in the U.S. exceeding $6 billion per year in annual revenue. Solar has also become a major industry in Colorado. According to a recent study, Colorado is now the #1 state in the nation in solar jobs, per capita. GE has also recently announced plans to build a $300 million solar manufacturing facilities in Aurora.

Solar Power Colorado is open to business leaders, solar professionals, career changers and the general public. For more information and to register visit: www.coseia.org

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About the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association:
Established in 1989, the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) is the voice of the solar industry in Colorado. COSEIA represents and serves more than 200 member companies in Colorado. Its mission is to expand solar markets and generate jobs and prosperity for the people of Colorado. COSEIA advances solar policy, removes market barriers, highlights emerging trends, and improves education and outreach. www.coseia.org

Contact: Neal Lurie, COSEIA, nlurie@coseia.org / 303.333.7342