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Article May 13, 2013

(Video) eLab: Pursuing Net Zero in Fort Collins

By RMI

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A forward-thinking city, Fort Collins in 2007 established FortZED, a vision to create a zero-energy district in downtown Fort Collins through conservation, efficiency, renewable sources, and smart technologies. The area represents 10–15 percent of Fort Collins Utilities’ distribution system. After many early successes, Fort Collins Utilities and its partners are facing some key challenges.

In November, eLab hosted a charrette in Fort Collins that drew experts from the region and around the country to craft innovative solutions to some of the city’s most difficult challenges. Download the Report

“Fort ZED is a ‘BHAG’—a big, hairy, audacious goal,” said Steve Catanach, the light and power manager for the city of Fort Collins. “The charrette was a great example of why eLab brings such value to its participants. We leveraged outside expertise to provide new, valuable perspective and help us fashion the next steps the FortZED project will be taking.”

Watch now, and learn:

  • How eLab’s Innovation Beacon projects are piloting real-world innovations
  • How eLab provided Fort Collins with a solid roadmap to meet its net zero goals
  • How the city gained additional context and ideas to accelerate a critical change for the community—and ultimately, become a beacon for the country

What do you think it will take to change our electricity system to one that is cleaner, more reliable, and customer-friendly?

Let us know via the comments below, on our Facebook wall, or on Twitter.

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