THE WEEK OF RENEWABLE ENERGY GAINS
This past Wednesday was an exciting day for me!

GOVERNOR RITTER SIGNS HB 1160 INTO LAW

On Wednesday March 26th, Governor Bill Ritter signed HB 1160, my net-metering or "homegrown energy" bill into law, expanding homegrown energy opportunities such as solar and wind, to homeowners and small businesses. This bill brings "true net-metering" to Colorado, meaning meters would run forward and backward, providing equal credit for power produced and consumed. This allows owners of wind and solar systems to receive credit for the power put onto the grid and that reduces their utility bill. Governor Ritter said, "This marks another momentous step forward as we engage homeowners and businesses in participating in the New Energy Economy. This bill brings fair and equitable net-metering policies to citizens throughout the state, and it encourages more residential investment in renewable energy while supporting its use in rural communities."

Here is an article about the bill signing:
http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=7551

2008 CoSEIA HONORARY AWARD

On the same day Governor Ritter was signing HB 1160 into law, I received the 2008 Honorary Award from Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (CoSEIA) for my dedication and commitment to renewable energy.

HB 1164, my bill that opens the market to large - or utility - scale solar energy production, recently passed the House with bi-partisan support by a vote of 43 to 21 and is headed to the Senate.

To see the press release with more information about this bill click here:
http://cohousedems.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/03/go-big-go-solar.html#more