The Colorado State Capitol is on its way to having the distinction of being a trendsetter—in the world of alternative energy—albeit with a $6 million price tag that at least one lawmaker is calling into question.Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter is praising the new energy project, begun last week at the Capitol building, which will provide cheaper geothermal heating and cooling for years to come once it’s completed next spring.
“This is a great project to highlight the significant potential that geothermal energy has here in Colorado, and it serves as a shining example of how the New Energy Economy creates jobs, diversifies our energy resources and bolsters energy security,” said Ritter.
The total cost of the project is an estimated $6 million, with $4.6 million coming from a U.S. Department of Energy grant under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and the remainder, $1.4 million, picked up by the state through certificates of participation and a lease-purchase agreement with Chevron. Estimated energy savings are $95,000 annually.
Yet, Republican state Sen. Kevin Lundberg, of Berthoud, said today the project won’t reach the point of breaking even for decades, and the price is too high to make sense. Lundberg also said that, in any event, the governor’s boast of creating jobs through geothermal energy and other alternative fuels is incongruous with his policies regarding other sectors of the state’s economy.
“The governor’s green energy program sounds hollow to me when he at the same time has been such a problem to the oil and gas industry, where there are thousands of jobs at risk,” said Lundberg. – More -
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