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MEMBERS: GARFIELD COUNTY | TOWN OF PARACHUTE | CITY OF RIFLE | TOWN OF SILT | TOWN OF NEW CASTLE | CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS | TOWN OF CARBONDALE | COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE | ROARING FORK TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY | HOLY CROSS ENERGY | GARFIELD COUNTY LIBRARIES
PROGRAMS & SERVICES: CLEER (CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY FOR THE REGION)
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Glenwood Springs water rebates
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With snow water equivalent sitting at record lows throughout the Roaring Fork and Colorado River watersheds, conservation is likely to be top of mind all summer long.
For qualifying Glenwood Springs residents, rebates are available to help make their home water use more efficient, less expensive and less likely to stress critical water resources.
The Glenwood Springs Turf Buyback Rebate Program will help cover the cost of replacing grass turf and other non-native lawn species, which typically has to be watered more in hotter and drier weather. Not sure what to replace it with? The City of Glenwood Springs has put together a great list of drought-tolerant plants to help get you started. Glenwood water customers can receive up $2 per square foot for up to 1,000 square feet of turf that they replace with water-smart landscaping.
For improving water efficiency inside the home, Glenwood Springs residents can receive rebates for installing faucets, shower heads and more that are WaterSense and/or Energy Star certified.
Visit Garfield Clean Energy’s website to learn more and apply.
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Geothermal in the spotlight
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Western Colorado’s extensive drilling history presents an opportunity to meet the geothermal moment while expanding the state’s renewable energy portfolio.
That was the message presented to approximately 70 community leaders, businesses, and energy stakeholders gathered in early March at Colorado Mesa University for the Geothermal Industry & Market Open House — a focused conversation on the future of geothermal in Western Colorado.
Garfield Clean Energy supported the event in partnership with incredible presenters: Colorado School of Mines, Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission, and geothermal companies Gradient Geothermal, Geothermal Technologies, Fervo Energy, and ZGeo Energy.
Geothermal power offers a renewable source of reliable (24/7) electricity, and the industry is rapidly developing.
Some takeaways:
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Geothermal is at an inflection point
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New technologies are expanding where geo power can be developed
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Colorado is accelerating progress by using temperature data from 63,000+ existing wells to help developers identify viable geothermal resources
Have questions about geothermal power? Please submit them to our public Q & A form. Your questions will help us shape future events and outreach.
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Solar + Storage for Communities Workshop
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Join us for a solar + storage workshop presented by the COSSA Institute in partnership with Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER), focused on microgrids, resilience, and the evolving role of solar and electrification in Colorado.
This convening will bring together utilities, local governments, energy experts, and regional partners to explore how distributed energy resources are taking shape across the Western Slope. Together, we’ll dig into the realities of electrification, resilience planning, and the current landscape of both rooftop and utility-scale solar—what’s working, what’s changing, and what it means for communities across the region.
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Two Rivers Connect winter campaign
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Two Rivers Connect is running a winter Way to Roll campaign. Residents, commuters, employers, and visitors in the Colorado River and Roaring Fork valleys are encouraged to explore new ways of getting around: ride the bus, carpool, vanpool, bike, walk, or work from home. Participants can earn rewards for shifting even one trip per week.
This campaign comes at a time when traffic across the region continues to worsen. In 2025, Glenwood Springs recorded a record-high Average Annual Daily Traffic of 27,726, a 4% increase in vehicles compared to 2024.
Winter Way to Roll is running through March 30th. Here’s how you can participate:
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Download the Two Rivers Connect app or visit the website
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Log your trips when you bike, walk, bus, carpool, vanpool, or work remotely. Trips don’t have to be logged in real-time; you can upload eligible trips for the Feb. 13 to March 30 winter campaign until April 2nd
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Find Rides with a carpool as a rider or driver
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Earn prizes like an e-bike, lift tickets, gift cards, and more
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We encourage Employers to sign up as an Employer Network to offer additional incentives, promote carpooling, and access custom engagement tools for your teams
Even small shifts — say, one day a week — in how we get around can go a long way to support a more efficient, flexible, and enjoyable experience moving through our region.
Learn more at www.cleanenergyeconomy.net/tworiversconnect
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EV Charging Grants & Technical Coaching Opportunities
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Application periods will open soon for two Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging grants from the Colorado Energy Office:
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Charge Ahead Colorado offers competitive grant funding for up to $7,000 per Level 2 charging port with a 10% or 20% required match, depending on your eligibility. Charge Ahead Colorado is primarily intended for public EV charging ports at community facilities, multifamily housing, workplaces, and more. There will be a Standard Application round this Spring.
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Fleet ZERO is similar to Charge Ahead Colorado, but for fleet EV charging, and will also have a Standard Application round this Spring.
Grants are also available for diesel equipment electrification, DCFC charging, fleet EVs, community e-mobility projects, and more. Reach out to CLEER if you have questions about these grants and/or for technical coaching.
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