March 6, 2014

Fort Collins Utilities selects 18 solar projects for power-purchase program

FORT COLLINS – The city of Fort Collins has selected 18 projects as part of its $1 million commercial solar power pilot program, designed to help Fort Collins Utilities meet a state renewable energy standard.

The city has selected projects in two categories. The first ranges in size from 10 and 100 kilowatts and the second, from 100 to 1,000 kilowatts.

Each of the projects has the opportunity to negotiate a 20-year power-purchase agreement with the city. Businesses and institutions with the smaller solar projects will receive 18 cents per kilowatt hour generated. Participants with larger projects will receive 15 cents per kilowatt hour.

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The city budgeted $1 million for the program over two years. The program, expected to grow in popularity, would cost $1 million annually after the second year.

The program, which will generate 5 megawatts of electricity, stems from a state mandate requiring utilities serving more than 40,000 customers to generate 10 percent of their electricity from renewable energy by 2020. The city aims to provide 6 percent of retail electric sales from renewable-energy sources by 2015.

Fort Collins Utilities has selected the following projects:

> Four solar projects at Campus Crest Communities Inc. (NYSE: CCG) apartment buildings at Rolland Moore Drive and Native Plant Way.
> Scotch Pines Village, 2201 S. Lemay Ave.
> A Plus Mini’s Self Storage, 165 Colboard Drive.
> Colorado State University Powerhouse Energy Campus, 430 North College Ave.
> Qdoba Events Center, 218 Smokey St.
> Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC), 4701 Technology Parkway.
> Advanced Energy Industries Inc., 1625 Sharp Point Drive.
> Harmony Market LLC, 1001 E Harmony Road.
> Spirae Inc., 243 N. College Ave.
> 3 Sisters LLC, 1420 Riverside Ave.
> Wilkins Charitable Trust, 5800 S. College Ave.
> CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 300 W. Drake Road.
> New Belgium Brewing Co., 500 Linden St.
> Miramont Lifestyle Fitness, South, 901 Oakridge Drive.
> An undeveloped Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport parcel by Airport Industrial Developers LLC.

The solar projects are to begin operating by June 2015, said Norm Weaver, senior energy services engineer for the city of Fort Collins.

“We’re in the process of just getting them through the evaluation of any interconnection-to-the-grid issues that need to be resolved and actually having both them and the city executing these power-purchase agreements,” he said.

Miramont has not decided whether it will go forward with the project, said Lindsay Randall, executive director of member services. The fitness company may build a rooftop solar array and receive payments from the city for electricity generated. Or it may allow another company to lease space on Miramont’s roof for an array. That company would then receive payments from the city.

“If it’s something that we can work out, we would be very excited to be able to participate,” Randall said.


FORT COLLINS – The city of Fort Collins has selected 18 projects as part of its $1 million commercial solar power pilot program, designed to help Fort Collins Utilities meet a state renewable energy standard.

The city has selected projects in two categories. The first ranges in size from 10 and 100 kilowatts and the second, from 100 to 1,000 kilowatts.

Each of the projects has the opportunity to negotiate a 20-year power-purchase agreement with the city. Businesses and institutions with the smaller solar projects will receive 18 cents per kilowatt hour generated. Participants with larger projects will receive 15 cents…

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