Contact: Mike Freeman, Chief Financial Officer, 970-416-2259, mfreeman@fcgov.com
Judy Dorsey, Executive Director, Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, 970-207-0058, jdorsey@brendlegroup.com
Jim Reidhead, Executive Director, UniverCity Connections, 970-689-9746 jim@univercityconnections.org
Ariana Friedlander, Co-Director, FortZED Community Task Force, 970-222-6213 afriedlander@atmosphereconservancy.org
Date: September 20, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FortZED Launches New Efforts to Educate and Engage Community
FortZED, a community-focused Zero Energy District, is launching two important new tools for residents to learn more about the significance of using less energy and producing and managing different kinds of energy resources. A new video describing the technical aspects of the project is now available at FortZED.com and residents can get involved through the Community Energy Challenge, which launched this past weekend at the Sustainable Living Fair.
New Video Features the RDSI Jumpstart Project
The first technical phase of FortZED is the implementation of the Renewable and Distributed Systems Integration (RDSI) jumpstart demonstration project. It will test the viability of substantially increasing the use of renewable and distributed energy resources for supplying electric power during peak load periods. City Cable 14 has produced a new 13-minute video describing the technical aspects and benefits of the FortZED jumpstart
project.
“The Renewable and Distributed Systems Integration project is gearing up for demonstration. Partners are installing equipment that will add renewable energy resources to the electric grid and monitor energy demand during peak times. The video is another way we can tell the story of RDSI, FortZED and the innovative research and equipment that is being produced in Fort Collins”, states Judy Dorsey, Executive Director for the Colorado
Clean Energy Cluster.
Site partners participating in technology testing include the City of Fort Collins, Colorado State University, Larimer County, New Belgium Brewing, and Integrid Lab. RDSI technology partners include Advanced Energy, Eaton, Spirae, Woodward Governor, and Van Dyne SuperTurbos.
Watch the Video
The video is airing on Comcast Cable 14 Fcgov.com/cable14, the City’s YouTube channel youtube.com/cityoffortcollins and the FortZED website.
Grassroots Efforts Forge Community Energy Challenge
Achieving a zero energy community will take hard work, dedicated residents and businesses and policy changes. The Community Energy Challenge will provide tools for residents to be a part of this ambitious goal. Volunteers are being recruited to help implement the FortZED Community Energy Challenge. Volunteer Rangers and Pack Leaders will connect with FortZED residents through neighborhood events and house parties. The goal is to engage residents to reduce their energy consumption through efficiencies, conservation and renewable energy. Trained volunteers will provide information on energy rebates offered by the Fort Collins Utilities and Governor’s Energy Office.
“The Community Energy Challenge is a volunteer program to learn more about saving energy and costs right in your own home. Working with neighbors, residents in the FortZED boundaries and beyond will tackle home efficiency challenges and obstacles together. From the beginning, FortZED has depended on grassroots support and community engagement. The Community Energy Challenge is a tangible way people can get
involved”, Jim Reidhead, Executive Director, UniverCity Connections notes.
The Community Energy Challenge is administered by the non-profit agency, The Atmosphere Conservancy, in partnership with UniverCity Connections and other FortZED partners and supporters.
Become a Community Energy Challenge Volunteer
Contact Ariana Friedlander, Co-Director, FortZED Community Task Force, for more information and how to get involved.
About FortZED
FortZED stands for Fort Collins’ Zero Energy District. A Zero Energy District is a distinct geographic area that produces as much energy as it uses. The FortZED boundaries include the Downtown area, Colorado State University’s Fort Collins campus and the Poudre River area near Downtown. The combined area is served by two electric substations and acts as a distinct area for demonstration and testing.
FortZED is a set of active projects and initiatives, created by public-private partnerships, which uses smart grid and renewable energy technologies to achieve local power generation and energy demand management. FortZED, as conceived, will be the largest active net zero energy district in the world. The initial idea for a zero energy district in Fort Collins came from conversations between the Colorado Clean Energy Cluster (CCEC),
UniverCity Connections, and Fort Collins Utilities. FortZED is unique in that it is a community effort working to achieve net zero on an existing grid system. Learn more at www.FortZED.com.
To learn more about The Atmosphere Conservancy and to find out how you can partner with them, visit www.atmosphereconservancy.org or call their office in Fort Collins at 970-377-9251.