Resident Resources and Challenges

The cost of utilizing renewable energy on a residential and commercial scale has reduced significantly in recent years. Communities in Adams County are eligible for the C-PACE program, which allows owners of eligible commercial and industrial buildings to finance up to 100 percent of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation eligible improvements. Financing is provided by private capital providers at competitive rates with repayment terms up to 20 years. Learn more at COpace.com.

On-site renewable energy generation provides significant opportunities for business owners to generate new revenue streams and reduce their overall operating costs over time. For local businesses that are unable to install renewable energy on-site, other options include Carbon Offsets, which allow businesses to “offset” their carbon impact by investing in renewable energy projects offsite.

There are a number of different tools and options available in the marketplace today, but one of the most popular options are Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). RECs are an accounting and verification system that ensure the energy you are purchasing from the grid comes from renewable sources. RECs are offered from a wide variety of entities. Green-e is a helpful third party certification entity that ensures the credits you are purchasing come from renewable sources.

Commerce City’s Community Development Block Grant Program provides funding for residential weatherization projects.

The Colorado Energy Office provides another valuable set of resources for homes and businesses looking to reduce their overall energy use. Options include the Colorado RENU Loan Program for residential energy upgrades, as well as a Weatherization Assistance Program to improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality of homes.

Tax credits are available in Colorado for the purchase or lease of new electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Effective July 1, 2023, the innovative motor vehicle credit increases to $5,000 for the purchase or lease of a qualifying electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. This increase does not apply to the innovative truck credit, which will increase for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2024. For additional information about changes made by House Bill 23-1272, please visit the Innovative Motor Vehicle and Innovative Truck Credits webpage(s).

For additional information, please see Department publications Income Tax Topics: Innovative Motor Vehicle Credit and Income Tax Topics: Innovative Truck Credit in the income tax guidance library (opens in new window).

Questions about the Colorado Electric Vehicle Tax Credit? Contact us at 303-238-7378.

If you place in service a new plug-in electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) in 2023 or after, you may qualify for a clean vehicle tax credit. Federal and State (Colorado) Tax Credits are separate.

You may qualify for a federal credit up to $7,500 under Internal Revenue Code Section 30D if you buy a new, qualified plug-in EV or FCV. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 changed the rules for this credit for vehicles purchased from 2023 to 2032. Additional information is available on the IRS Website (opens in new window).

Find more information on federal credits for: used clean vehicles (opens in new window), qualified commercial clean vehicles (opens in new window), and new plug-in EVs purchased before 2023 (opens in new window).

For more information on clean vehicle credits and other energy-related credits and deductions, visit the IRS Credits and Deductions Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (opens in new window) webpage.

A wide variety of other state incentives exist for businesses and residents for energy efficiency upgrades, solar installation, electric vehicle incentives, and more. A directory of these incentives can be found here.

EPA SRA Grant – this grant is for source reduction and is open to local governments and non-profits. There is a 5% match requirement. Due July 22, 2022. For more information, contact Melissa Payan at payan.melissa@epa.gov

Equity Grant – this opportunity has a regional focus and relates to environmental and equity projects with priority areas of research, education, innovation and outreach. It is open to any business and covers a two-year period. Awards range from $40,000 - $180,000. For more information, contact Francis Otero at francis.otero@state.co.us

Heat pumps for heating and cooling – xcelenergy.com/StayCool

Swamp coolers – xcelenergy.com/CO-Evap

High efficiency furnaces and boilers – xcelenergy.com/StayWarm

Water heating – xcelenergy.com/StayWarm

Whole Home Efficiency – xcelenergy.com/WholeHomeEfficiency

FREE water and air filters and information about detoxifying your home and yard.

Learn more and apply.

Bicycles are now available at Anythink Library.

All bikes come with a lock and helmet and are available for customers ages 16 and up for three week check-outs – all you need is an Anythink library card.

Visit anythinklibraries.org or call 303 288-2001 for more information.

Quarter 1

January | Education & Outreach

“Flourishing in the Age of Climate Change” by William Throop
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office

February | Adaptation & Mitigation

“Climate Optimism” by Zahra Biabani
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office

March | Energy Efficiency

“Electrify: An Optimist's Playbook for Our Clean Energy Future” by Saul Griffith
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office

Quarter 2

April | Water Conservation

“Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West” by Heather Hansman
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office | Anythink Library via Libby | Kindle Unlimited

May | Food

“Who Really Feeds the World?: The Failures of Agribusiness and the Promise of Agroecology” by Vandana Shiva
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office

June | Active Transportation

“Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities” by Veronica Davis
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office | Hoopla

Quarter 3

July | Health, Equity, and Well-Being

“Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors” by Carolyn Finney
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office | Anythink Library via Libby

August | Renewable Energy

“Sustainable Energy and the States” by Dianne Rahm
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office

September | Biodiversity & Tree Canopy

“Why Public Space Matters” by Setha Low
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office

Quarter 4

October | Healthy Homes

Wild Card – Read any environmentally or sustainably related book.

November | Recycling & Waste Diversion

“Year of No Garbage” by Eve Schaub
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office

December | Funding & Purchasing

“This Changes Everything” by Naomi Klein
Where to find the book for free: E3 Office

To borrow the physical copy of the book, contact Olivia Quagliani at oquagliani@c3gov.com.

All books are 400 pages or less! We apologize for the inconvenience, but at this time, all books are only available in English.

Books from the library are available through the free Libby app. Learn how to use Libby.