Remodeled and expanded facility powered by 10 kW solar system

Parachute’s new solar-powered “living room for the community” opened on Sept. 11, 2010, to great fanfare. A crowd of more than 50 people attended the grand opening ceremony for the new Parachute Branch Library, and residents streamed through the building all day to check out the new facility, and to check out books and other media.

The 9,000-square-foot library is twice the size of the old building, which was gutted and expanded for the new facility. The new building is highly energy efficient, with lots of natural light, and boasts a 10-kilowatt solar energy system on the roof.

The solar system, installed by SoL Energy of Carbondale, was funded by the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, using grant funds from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), and by a Solar*Rewards rebate from Xcel Energy.

Susan Kirkpatrick, executive director of DOLA, attended the grand opening event and praised Parachute residents and community leaders for their role in developing a beautiful new library and participating in the Garfield Initiative. She noted that her career in public service began as a member of the library board in Fort Collins, and cautioned the Garfield Library Board members in the audience to “watch out” for where this might lead.

Kirkpatrick recalled her vision in offering the New Energy Communities Initiative grants to communities throughout Colorado in 2008. She hoped the DOLA program would result in increased regional collaboration and measureable progress in energy efficiency, renewable energy and economic development. DOLA worked closely with the Governor’s Energy Office to roll out the initiative, which awarded grant funds to 14 regional clean energy initiatives statewide.

“The No. 1 project in the state was Garfield County’s Initiative,” Kirkpatrick told the crowd. “You guys are outstanding. And the $1.6 million grant for the Garfield Initiative was one of the biggest awards DOLA has ever given.”

Kirkpatrick noted that statewide, the $10 million initiative has been leveraged with other funds for a total of $69 million in investments, putting people and businesses to work across Colorado.

Ken Olson, CEO of SoL Energy, said the library’s solar energy system will produce about 15,000 kilowatt hours of “clean, renewable, pollution-free” electricity per year. Because the library is essentially a new building, it’s not yet known how much of the total electric demand will be offset by the system, but the library district will start saving on energy bills right away.

“Because we received these solar panels through the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, we saved money up front and we will save money over the long haul,” noted Amelia Shelley, executive director of the Garfield County Public Library District.

Shelley also serves as the library district’s representative on the Garfield NECI Advisory Board, and won praise from Garfield County Commissioner Trési Houpt for taking an active role in the clean energy effort.

“The library district has been a tremendous partner,” Houpt said. “I also applaud Susan Kirkpatrick for her leadership and vision in making this initiative happen, and the Governor’s Energy Office for its technical resources.”

Houpt also credited CLEER, Clean Energy Economy for the Region, and its staffers Alice Laird and Heather McGregor, for bringing the Garfield Initiative together and working hard to deliver many successful programs using the grant funding.

“This truly would not have been possible without the continued efforts of these two women,” Houpt told the audience.

“By the end of this year, the Garfield NECI will have installed 16 solar projects throughout Garfield County,” Houpt said. “The Town of Parachute has three arrays, including my favorite, the solar flowers. Parachute should really be proud that your community has taken a tremendous lead in moving solar and renewable energy forward.”