ORE’s Goals are to

1. Strengthen Gunnison Valley’s economy, by reducing the energy dollars leaving our community;

2. Improve energy and resource efficiency in Gunnison Valley’s homes and businesses;

3. Encourage the use and development of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and alternative fuels

2-Day Solar Hot Water Seminar, May 30 and May 31

You are invited to a 2-day Solar Hot Water seminar on May 30th and May 31st, 2008 at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square Conference Center in Mt. Crested Butte. The seminar is taught by Mike Tierney of Aspen Solar, a COSEIA-certified instructor, who has been installing solar heating and solar electric systems in the Aspen area and Western Slope region for the past 13 years. Mike is accompanied by guest presenter Rick Hubbart of Ferguson Enterprises. The first day on May 30 will consist of a Basic Training that teaches: Background and overview of solar thermal systems; Installation and design; pump and pipe sizing, and system components. Day 2 on May 31st teaches Advanced Training: Solar controls and interfacing with existing heating systems; Troubleshooting, boilers, and radiant heating systems; and applications in the field. Continuing education credits will be available through COSEIA (www.coseia.org). This seminar is primarily funded by the State of Colorado Governor’s Energy Office, so that reduced seminar fees are available. Cost is $75 for both days, or $45 for an individual day when you register until 05/23/08. Then the cost increases to $85 for both days, or $50 for an individual day. A flyer and registration form can be accessed below. Send payment and registration form to ORE, PO Box 2967, Crested Butte, CO 81224 or visit ORE at 301 Belleview Avenue, Unit E, upstairs in the Redstone Building in Crested Butte. For more info call: 970-349-9673 or e-mail info@resourceefficiency.org.

Solar Hot Water Seminar Flyer

Registration Form

CROP Initiative

Background

• Over the past 4 years, ORE has become a community leader in identifying and implementing solutions for energy efficiency increases and renewable energy production in the Gunnison Valley. Working in concert with the goals established by ICLEI’s (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) Cities for Climate Protection Campaign (see under Programs and Local Energy Policies), ORE has developed a decision-making tool called “CROP”, which is designed to inform community leaders, business owners, and individuals about the energy consequences of their business/activities, and to propose mitigation strategies to reduce and offset their energy use.

• “CROP” is an acronym for:
• Calculate: Energy use through a local emissions inventory
• Reduce: Energy use by setting reduction goals and administering conservation programs
• Offset: Energy use through green power purchasing and donations for “offsetting”
• Produce: Zero-carbon power through local renewable energy programs

• ORE is utilizing this tool internally, and through its role as facilitator ORE hopes to educate Gunnison Valley stakeholders about using this tool within their organizations.  CROP is a tool to be used in all decision-making. Every new proposal is viewed through an energy lens. Calculate how much energy the new proposal will use; think of ways to reduce that energy use; if reduction is not possible or feasible, offset the energy use; and continue to seek methods for replacing traditional energy sources with locally produced renewable sources. During its initial years, ORE established programs that focus on the most effective “R”, reduction, steps, which we will continue to do in the future. Through the CROP Initiative, we want to become more comprehensive educators by working with the entire community via its stakeholders. So, we need to “Calculate” in order to measure progress toward our “Reduction” goals. And then as a next step, we can work on “Offsetting” and “Production”.
• In June 2007 ORE held an introductory stakeholders meeting, inviting and educating Gunnison Valley’s major organizations to incorporate CROP into their own decision-making. The group of invited stakeholders included the City of Gunnison, Gunnison County, the Towns of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte, Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Western State College, the Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte and Gunnison Chambers of Commerce, the Tourism Association, the Contractor’s Association, the Rural Transportation Authority, the Water Conservancy District, and many more. ORE speakers and facilitators Billy Rankin, Steve Lawlor, Chris Morgan, Ethan Mueller, Jay Helman, Hap Channell, and Vicki Shaw introduced the CROP concept during the first Stakeholder meeting.

Next Steps

• CROP is complimentary to, and helps serve the goals of, other environmental initiatives that address climate change solutions, such as ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection, the US Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement, the American Institute of Architects’ 2030 Challenge, and the University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. As part of the Cities for Climate Protection, the ”C”: Calculate step of CROP began in spring 2007 with a carbon emissions inventory for the Gunnison Valley. This step has been possible through financial and administrative support from the Town of Crested Butte, the Town of Mt. Crested Butte, the City of Gunnison, and Gunnison County in the amount of $1,000 per governmental entity. Please read more about the CCP process under Programs. Then click on Local Energy Policies.
  
• The results of the valleywide emissions inventory are slated for publication in March 2008. During an Energy Summit in 2008 ORE hopes to assist the valley in launching a process that will facilitate the development of a local action plan to address and prioritize measures in the remaining three steps, “Reduce, Offset, and Produce".