SB 18-003

Senate Bill 18-003, which has been signed into law, makes several changes related to Colorado's energy policies and programs. It ends certain grant and loan programs that supported renewable energy projects in schools and removes the Colorado Energy Office’s involvement in some specific initiatives like woody biomass bio-heating support and educational grants for building trade professionals. The bill also updates the office's responsibilities by promoting cleaner energy sources such as nuclear and hydroelectric power, adding energy storage systems to its focus areas, and expanding collaborations with the energy industry and executive departments. Additionally, it modifies how funds are managed and spent, including renaming the Clean and Renewable Energy Fund to the Energy Fund and allowing for public education on energy issues. This bill affects various stakeholders involved in Colorado’s energy sector, including schools, renewable energy companies, and educational institutions focused on energy-related training.

Official Summary

Section 1 of the bill repeals the wind for schools grant program. Section 2 repeals the renewable energy and energy efficiency for schools loan program. Section 3 removes the Colorado energy office's (office) involvement with the forest service and the air quality control commission to support the increased use of woody biomass in bio-heating. Section 4 removes the office's involvement in grants with the Colorado energy research institute for the development of a central resource for building trade professionals. Section 5 : Specifies nuclear and hydroelectric power as a cleaner energy source that the office should promote; Adds energy storage systems as items that the office should promote; Adds propane as a traditional energy source that the office should promote; Amends the office's requirement to develop and encourage increased utilization of energy curricula, and expands the collaborative groups to include the energy industry and executive departments; and Repeals certain programs for which the office is responsible. Section 6 renames the clean and renewable energy fund as the energy fund and adds the authority to spend the money in the fund for educating the general public on energy issues and opportunities. Section 7 removes the requirement that the funds used in the innovative energy fund for grants or loans shall be limited to innovative energy efficiency projects and policy development. Section 8 repeals the office's authority to submit a proposal for credentialing photovoltaic installers. Section 9 repeals the green building incentive pilot program. Section 10 repeals the 'Colorado Clean Energy Finance Program Act'. Section 11 removes the office's responsibility to maintain a list of solar installers and instead requires the list to be maintained by the Colorado solar energy industries association, or a successor organization, and removes the requirement for the office to offer training on solar installations. Section 12 removes an obsolete section of law pertaining to a computer system for tracking the movement of gasoline or special fuel in the state. Section 13 removes the office as the administrator of the Colorado carbon fund special license plate. Section 14 makes conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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