Ken Regelson with EnergyShouldBe.org provided a virtual AVEF Tech Talk on April 24th that covered a wide range of topics on renewable electricity and how co-ops like SDCEA can develop reasonable rates for their customers. The Tech Talk is viewable on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/NHBRpuxWP7I

The link below is to Ken’s presentation slides.

This is a slide bank from a December 5, 2023 Tech Talk by Bill Lucas-Brown of GB3 Energy Solutions in Golden, CO. Bill explains the types of heat pumps available and that their operation isn’t magic. The U.S. is lagging the rest of the world in heat pump installations. Bill uses graphics to demonstrate the performance of heat pumps in various weather conditions. Cold-weather heat pump technology has come a long way.

This is a slide bank from a December 5, 2023 Tech Talk by Matt Wright, Chief Building Scientist with Deeper Green Consulting in Frisco, CO. Matt explains the different sources of potential indoor air pollutants in a typical home. As homes are becoming more energy efficient and tighter, there is a need to help homes “breathe” in the proper way, without wasting heating or cooling efforts. Energy recovery and ventilation systems are gaining popularity as a healthier way to live indoors. An energy audit of your home is the first step in evaluating and designing a proper central ventilation system.

Link below to view the Presentation Slides.

One of the key first steps that any building owner can do to reduce their energy bills is to have a professional Energy Audit performed. After all, the best clean energy is the energy you never use!

AVEF invited Rob Rosengren, Chaffee County Energy Auditor, and Kasey Provorse from Energy Smart Colorado to help explain the Energy Audit process.

Energy Smart Colorado will share its home and small business energy assessment program in Chaffee County. Energy Assessments provide information to increase the efficiency of your home or building, allowing individuals to take steps to create a more comfortable and affordable home or building, as well as unlock potential rebates and tax credits.

Rob and Kasey will outline the energy audit process, including speaking with the customer about their concerns and lifestyle in their home, elements of the exterior inspection of the home, as well as safety testing to test the air quality of homes and the equipment used to test for gas leaks. They will also explain the blower door test and share infrared camera images with examples of common leakage points of homes in Chaffee County.

These Household Electrification Incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are available to American homeowners and renters over the next 10 years in the form of Tax Credits or Upfront Discounts. Here’s a cheat sheet to help you understand what is available.

Ken Regelson, Director of EnergyShouldBe.org, Tim Klco of Peak Solar Designs, and AVEF director Rich Shoemaker explain the fundamentals of solar PV, net metering with a grid-tied system, battery storage and EV charging. Tim discusses trends in the industry and Rich describes his solar, battery and EV charging systems. The link below is the YouTube video of this TechTalk hosted by AVEF. Grab some popcorn and enjoy!

This is a slide bank from an August 9, 2023, Tech Talk by AVEF Director Sandy Long. There is a great deal of information to help make sense of the current incentives and tax credits at both State (CO) and Federal levels for electric vehicles, both new and used. Sandy reviews example purchases of new and used EVs based on vehicle MSRPs and purchasers’ income levels. The regulations can be somewhat complicated, but this presentation will help you have a clearer understanding on how to take advantage of the generous programs available.

Here’s the latest on EV tax credits from the Federal government.

Here’s the latest on EV tax credits from Colorado.

As electric vehicles gain in popularity and new models are introduced, the used EV market will gain strength. Here’s the latest on the Federal tax credit provisions specifically for pre-owned EVs.

The tax incentives for electric vehicles under the Inflation Reduction Act seem to be a moving target, and the Federal government has made it overly complicated. But don’t despair, we have the latest information available to help you make sense of the rules.

AVEF director and Citizens Climate Lobby Chaffee County Chapter leader Sandy Long explains the vast opportunities available to consumers and utilities under the new IRA and why they are critically important to us and future generations.

Ken Regelson explains Air and Ground Heat Pumps and why Ground Heat Pumps are a better choice in extreme cold and hot climates. In this case “Extreme cold” means places that are likely to have below zero temperatures for more than a few hours.

On November 14, 2022, AVEF director Sandy Long hosted a webinar on heat pumps. You can watch the video of that webinar here.

Ken Regelson, Director of EnergyShouldBe.org speaks on energy in clear and engaging ways to audiences of all experience levels. He has a master’s degree in electrical engineering, along with 21 years of experience in modeling and analysis of an energy grid based primarily on renewables. For five years, he was a policy analyst at the state capitol and PUC representing Colorado’s solar installers. In this educational video Ken talks about a wide range of topics on renewable energy and EV charging.

AVEF director and Citizens Climate Lobby Chaffee County Chapter leader Sandy Long talks about electric vehicle options and opportunities.