Mixed forecast: clean energy braces for funding cuts.

• Author: Siebrase, Jamie
• Position: ENERGY REPORT

COLORADO WAS RECENTLY RANKED NO. 8 AMONG THE 50 STATES FOR ITS SOLAR POWER EFFORTS BY THE ENVIRONMENT COLORADO RESEARCH AND POLICY CENTER. BUT WILL LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS REMAIN SUSTAINABLE ONCE FEDERAL DOLLARS DISAPPEAR?

COLORADO'S CLIMATE, AMPLE SUNLIGHT AND CONSISTENT investment in local think tanks haven't hurt the state in its march toward renewable-energy leadership. Neither have federal dollars that were funneled into renewable initiatives a few years back.

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When it comes to investment in renewable energy, "Colorado is absolutely at the forefront," says Julie Herman of the Colorado Green Building Guild.

But what's to come when the cash cow runs dry?

In the first quarter of this year, 723 megawatts of photovoltaics were installed nationally, which represents 33 percent growth for the first three months of 2012. Nationally, the non-residential market had a slow start in 2013 with just 24-2 megawatts of PV installed in the first quarter. Most state markets. Colorado included, shrank quarter-to-quarter. And while the Solar Energy Industries Association predicts overall commercial market growth this year, the rate could be significantly slower than in previous years. That's because the non-residential market was hit hardest by decreases in federal- and state-level incentives, particularly Xcel Energy's Solar Rewards program.

"We're still seeing increases in cleantech jobs, but they aren't as large as they were a I'm years ago," says Scott Prestiege, energy industry manager at Denver Metro Economic Development Corp. "But Colorado's cleantech industry is resilient," he adds.

"The industry is a money-maker," Prestiege says, citing not only installation and manufacturing opportunities, but innovation, too. Ascent Solar Technologies, for example, manufactures a thin film solar product initially built No military applications. To expand its presence, the company adapted its product, allowing customers to charge cellular devices with solar power.

Drive SunShine Institute (DSI), a Boulder-based nonprofit consulting firm, outfits local businesses with solar vehicles through outreach mechanisms like the Drive SunShine Sustainability Celebration, in which employees and suite managers can test-drive fleets of electric vehicles on site.

DSI recently assisted a large communications firm in implementing a pilot program designed to incorporate electric pick-up trucks with built-in generators into their...