Energy

Oil and Gas

Delta County has recently made changes to how it regulates oil and gas. The County has repealed its oil and gas regulations and has adopted an interim oil and gas process. The County will be working to develop and adopt new regulations starting in the fall of 2019 and into 2020. The resolutions repealing the oil and gas regulations and establishing the new interim process outline why the County have made these changes.

While the County transitions to new regulations, oil and gas continues to be regulated by the State of Colorado. Information on how to provide comments to the State on Oil and Gas activity in Delta County can be found here: http://cogcc.state.co.us/#/home.

As part of the County's interim oil and gas process, the County will be submitting comments to the State on all applications processed by the State.

Oil and Gas Links

Solar Energy

Delta County has received the Bronze Designation under the SolSmart Program, funded as a SunShot Initiative by the U.S. Department of Energy. The designation shows that Delta is a solar friendly community committed to fostering clean energy and economic development through solar.

How Does Solar Electricity Work?

A solar electric system--using photovoltaic panels (PV)--generates electricity that can be used throughout your home or can be sold to your utility. PV panels generate direct current (DC), that is converted to alternating current (AC) by an inverter (AC). This allows the power to be consumed by your home or business.

Is Western Colorado Sunny Enough for Solar?

You bet! With 300 days of sunshine, Colorado has some of the best exposure to sun's rays in the country. Solar in Western Colorado will produce about twice as much energy as the same kW in Germany, the world leader of installed PV.

Why Get Solar?

The solar energy industry is rapidly growing and changing. Improvements in technology, various federal and state tax credits, and new, innovative financing programs have continued to drive down costs making this technology more accessible now than ever before.

By placing solar photovoltaic systems on your home or business, you can reduce your electrical costs, invest in creating your own power, and support local installation jobs.

Going Solar

After finding a solar installer, the hired contractor/installer typically handles all permitting concerns. No building permits are required and no certificates of occupancy are issued for the construction and placement of any structures in the unincorporated area of Delta County. However, homeowners proceeding without a contractor must follow all applicable regulations in the State of Colorado, including electrical and solar thermal permitting. See the Building Information page for additional information. Residents living within town/city limits should contact their local municipality regarding any additional permits/requirements before installation.

Maintenance

In general, the PV modules should be kept clean of debris such as excessive dust, leaves, sticks, bird droppings, etc. Accumulation of such material on the panels can affect power output, but rainfall in Colorado is generally adequate to wash off the panels and keep that effect to a minimum. We advise performing a visual inspection of the PV array and checking the system output production on inverter or monitoring system at least once per month to ensure proper operation. More than likely, everything will be working just fine. However, this is a great habit to help catch any potential issues early and minimize any downtime.

When you buy or lease a system, it is common to enter into a maintenance contract with the installer, the financing entity, or a third party that will handle repairs if the system needs repair.

State and Federal Tax Credits

The federal tax credit that pays back 30% of the cost of your system is in effect until the end of 2019; it drops to 26% in 2020 and 22% in 2021. Beginning in 2022, the credit expires for residences and drops to 10% for businesses. The federal tax credit can be taken over two years. These amounts are deducted from the amount of tax you owe (before withholding), so if you do not owe enough taxes, you may not be able to claim the full tax credit. Since nonprofit organizations do not pay income taxes, they cannot benefit from the solar tax credits.

NOTE: This information is provided as a guideline only. Consult your tax advisor for complete information applicable to your situation.

Financial Options for Installing Solar

The State of Colorado just began a new financing program for homes called RENU loan. To learn more, check out the RENU website.
Delta County has adopted the Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program. Colorado C-PACE is a financing tool that allows commercial and multifamily property owners to finance qualifying energy efficiency, water conservation, and other clean energy improvements on existing and newly constructed properties, with repayment of the financing through a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill. Video link: https://player.vimeo.com/video/163736731?autoplay =1.
Farms and rural small businesses may also qualify for a 25% grant from the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
The Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado Energy Office also has a program for farms that are looking for energy upgrades or renewable energy.
Installers often offer financing options "power purchase agreements" that generally do not require any up-front payments but offer monthly energy savings. Under these arrangements, the financing entity owns the system and takes advantage of tax credits. For more information on how this works see these links: https://www.energysage.com/solar/financing/should-you-buy-or-lease-your-solar-panel-system/ or https://youtu.be/oKRHFGUMp8o?list=UUtviAZdD4s2EhemjPLQTs7g.

Solar Power Links

List of area installers