Solar Roadmap Unveiled in Southwest Colorado

The Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency (4CORE), in conjunction with Optony, hosted a regional meeting on the Solar Roadmap in January, which identifies opportunities to improve the access of residents to solar energy. The Southwest Solar Transformation Initiative (SSTI) team, including 4CORE and Optony energy consultants, is helping local communities benefit from greater use of solar energy by developing tailored roadmaps for local jurisdictions identifying steps they can take to increase activity in the residential solar market.

For the past year, the SSTI team has been working with stakeholders in Pagosa Springs, Cortez, and Durango to evaluate the potential for development of residential solar power generation. The SSTI is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Rooftop Solar Challenge program, with a goal to make going solar easier and more cost effective across the U.S.

The meeting shared findings with interested communities, citizens, and the installation and home builder industries. Topics included an overview of the SSTI program and the goals it has set for local communities, tools and resources available, market development opportunities, and general solar market trends in financing and technology.

4CORE will be initiating a meeting in the future to discuss a Solarize program, or a time limited campaign to install solar in our region at discounted prices.