Press Release - Gov. Ritter Congratulates Colorado Companies
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
WWW.COLORADO.GOV/GOVERNOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 2009
CONTACTS
Todd Hartman, 303.866.2262, todd.hartman@state.co.us
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER CONGRATULATES COLORADO COMPANIES, UTILITIES FOR LANDING DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GRANTS
Gov. Ritter today congratulated two Colorado companies and two utilities for receiving $38.2 million in Department of Energy Recovery Act-funded grant funding. Foro Energy, Inc., and ITN Energy Systems, Inc., were awarded funding to advance clean energy technology. The City of Fort Collins Utilities and Black Hills Energy in Pueblo were awarded funding for "smart grid" investments to strengthen and improve our electricity grid.
"Colorado's New Energy Economy continues to lead us forward, through job creation and by changing the way we use and consume energy to be clean, affordable and reliable," said Gov. Ritter. "Colorado is a leader in smart grid technology and new energy innovation and these Department of Energy grants are recognition of the gains that we've made."
Foro Energy, Inc., and ITN Energy Systems, Inc., received more than $14 million -- part of $151 million awarded through the DOE's recently-formed Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E's mission is to develop nimble, creative and inventive approaches to transform the global energy landscape while advancing America's technology leadership.
The City of Fort Collins Utilities and Black Hills Energy in Pueblo received a total of $24.2 million to install tens of thousands of "smart meters" and other devices that help homeowners better control energy use and improve communication between the electricity user and the provider. These awards came as part of a DOE Smart Grid Investment Grant program.
Department of Energy Recovery Act-funded grants:
- Foro Energy, Inc.: Received $9.1 million for a new hybrid thermal/mechanical drilling technology that will result in improved drilling. The new technology has the potential to open up cost effective access to the geothermal energy in deep, hard basement rock, which is a huge new source of domestically available, carbon-free baseload power.
- ITN Energy Systems, Inc (MAG Industrial Automation Systems, EPRI, and Colorado School of Mines): Received $4.98 million for research on solid-state electrochromic film. The project could substantially reduce the cost of electrically controlled smart windows for net-zero energy buildings. These windows reduce heating and cooling loads and minimize overhead lighting use.
- The City of Fort Collins Utilities: Received $18.1 million to install 79,000 smart meters and in-home demand response systems, including in-home displays, smart thermostats and air conditioning and water heater control switches. The money will also help automate transmission and distribution systems and enhance grid security.
- Black Hills Energy in Pueblo: Received $6.1 million to install 42,000 smart meters and communications infrastructure that will help meter reading and provide a pilot for a dynamic pricing program.
For more information on these awards, visit the Department of Energy: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/daily.cfm/hp_news_id=214 and http://www.energy.gov/news2009/8216.htm.