PROGRAM GUIDE: Energy Education and Resources for Colorado

PROGRAM GUIDE:

Energy Education and

Resources for Colorado

CSU Extension – a trusted friend on the cutting edge

For over 100 years, Colorado State University Extension has been helping rural and urban residents and businesses manage everything from fi elds to fi nances. As the outreach arm of CSU, Extension agents equipped with research-based expertise tailor their educational eff orts and activities to the needs of communities through workshops, webinars, one-on-one consultations, and more.

Topics include:

 Agriculture – pastures, crops, livestock, pests and disease, noxious weeds, irrigation, viticulture, farmer’s markets;

 Natural Resources – lawn care, gardening, trees, water-saving

landscaping, wildlife management, fi re protection, drought information;  Family, Home & Consumer Sciences – eating well, family fi nances,

radon mitigation, food safety, canning, preservation; and

 Youth Development/Education – connecting with and inspiring the next generation through a wide array of 4-H programs.

New to this information menu:

 Energy – workshops, publications, decision tools, and other resources to help Coloradans make more informed energy decisions.

We off er energy programs in four areas: Consumer Energy Education Colorado Energy Master Program

K-12 Energy Education and Teacher Training Center for Agricultural Energy

Consumer Energy Education

Our Consumer Energy Education team off ers a wide variety of resources to help homeowners and renters make more informed energy decisions and to help create a meaningful dialogue around important energy issues, including:  Energy Assessments – With the support of an Extension agent or

on your own, conduct a basic home energy audit or solar or wind assessment. Our solar and wind assessments will help you determine if you are a good candidate for those technologies, and if so, what kind of costs and savings to expect from your investment.

 Home Energy Audit Loan (HEAL) Program – Borrow a unique and helpful Home Energy Audit Loan (HEAL) Program kit from one of over 40 County Extension offi ces throughout Colorado.

Kits include:

◆ Th ermal leak detector to locate air leaks and gaps in insulation, ◆ Power monitor to explore appliance electricity use,

◆ Flicker checker to detect ineffi cient fl uorescent tube lighting,

◆ Refrigerator and freezer thermometers to check temperature settings, ◆ Hot water temperature gauge to ensure effi cient heating of water You can also use the equipment to conduct our online Do-It-Yourself

Home Energy Audit.

 Workshops – Attend or request for your group or organization on home energy effi ciency, solar, wind, broad energy overviews, or other topics of interest.

 Fact Sheets and Decision Tools – We’ve put together unbiased, research-based information on everything from electric vehicles to solar leasing and energy conservation to anaerobic digestion. We also off er easy to use fi nancial calculators to fi gure out your ‘bottom line’ on energy investments like adding insulation or buying an energy effi cient furnace.

Colorado Energy Master Program

Th is program off ers up to 30 hours of in-depth energy coursework on big picture issues like energy sources, policy, and climate change as well as details on how to make use of energy effi ciency and renewable energy in your own life. Th ey are taught by high quality instructors including a mix of renowned CSU professors and experienced energy auditors and utility staff . You’ll come away with skills to conduct basic home energy audits, solar and wind assessments, meet great people, and have fun in the process.

Th ose taking the program to become certifi ed Colorado Energy Masters complete all coursework as well as an energy project of their choice. Project ideas have included:

 Conducting one or more home energy audits,  Teaching an energy lesson plan in a school,  Hosting an ‘energy block party,’

 Writing a published article for a local newspaper,

 Various projects related to one’s occupation or place of employment,  Conducting a feasibility analysis for a community solar garden,  Stafi ng booths at local fairs to provide energy education and resources,  Translation of energy information into Spanish, and

K-12 Energy Education

With a strong need for students to become more versed in science,

technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and a burgeoning interest in energy as a career fi eld, we have developed a Clean Energy Curriculum for Colorado Middle and High Schools and a Colorado Wind for Schools Curriculum. Th e curricula contain a variety of lesson plans that are hands-on, inquiry-based, and tied to state academic standards for science, math, social studies, and advanced placement. We have trained over 100 teachers across the state on how to teach lesson plans from the curricula, and provide support in the form of loaner kits, instructional online videos, PowerPoints, activity sheets, and more. We also provide classroom visits to teach lesson plans directly to students.

Teachers have had great things to say about our curricula and training:

Educators can borrow our School Energy Activity Loan (SEAL) Program kits to provide students with hands-on materials to conduct the lesson plans. Th e kits, valued at $350, contain mini solar panels, mini wind turbines, light bulbs, insulation, school energy audit devices, and more.

Your team literally saved me 25 hours of planning and searching for the best of the best!!

Nice range of activities that get to the core of these topics without being too complex or intimidating.

A great, simple overview of lessons included and how to fi nd resources to use them and keep using them. Many trainings give you “stuff ” that you later forget.

E

asy to use and great for kids.

Well thought out, a valuable teaching tool for kids; adults can also learn quite a bit.

Center for Agricultural Energy (CAE)

Extension has teamed with CSU’s College of Engineering to help agricultural producers with unique energy needs make sound energy decisions. Our services include:

 Audits–We off er various types of agricultural energy audits, including irrigation effi ciency audits for center pivots and dairy audits. Ag energy audits help identify where on your farm or ranch energy is used ineffi ciently. We then provide detailed recommendations to help you save energy and money. Many audits also make producers eligible for funding to implement the recommendations from the audit.

 Outreach – We off er workshops and speak at agricultural events to promote sound energy decisions in agriculture. We have also arranged fi eld visits to demonstrate clean energy technologies on the farm and ranch.

 Network – Partner faculty and organizations to create a broad array of resources to tap such as:

◆ Research on anaerobic digestion, oilseed crops for biofuels, and more ◆ Funding opportunities for agricultural energy projects

List of Online Resources

www.ext.colostate.edu/energy

CSU Extension Fact Sheets

 Agricultural Energy Audits  Air Sealing Colorado Homes  Alcohol for Motor Fuels

 An Introduction to Rural Energy Options  Anaerobic Digestion of Animal Wastes in Colorado  Easy and Inexpensive Home Energy Ideas  Electric Vehicles in Colorado

 Electricity Generation in Colorado  Energy Checklist for Homeowners  Energy Checklist for Renters  Energy Conservation in the Home

 Harvesting Energy from the Sun: Solar Photovoltaics  Heating Colorado Homes

 Insulating Colorado Homes

 Introduction to Domestic Solar Hot Water Systems  Landscaping for Energy Conservation

 Selecting Energy-effi cient Tractors  Solar Lease Financial Calculator  Solar Leasing for Colorado Homes  Th e Sun-tempered Superinsulated House

 Using a Power Monitor to Control Your Electricity Costs  Th e Whole-House Approach to Energy Effi ciency  Water Heating in Colorado Homes

 Wind Energy for Colorado Home Owners, Farmers and Small Businesses

Decision Tools

 Anaerobic Digestion Decision Tool for Colorado Cattle Operations

 DIY Agricultural Energy Audit  DIY Home Energy Audit  DIY Solar Assessment  DIY Wind Assessment

 Electric Load Analysis Worksheet (solar)  Energy Bill Analysis and More (eBAM!)  Farm Equipment Cost Estimator  Indoor Lighting Calculator  Insulation Calculator

 Low-Flow Showerhead Calculator  Power Monitor Home Energy Calculator  Water Heater Wrap Calculator

Other

 Clean Energy Curriculum for Colorado Middle  and High Schools

 Colorado Wind for Schools Curriculum  Recorded webinars

 Various audio recordings and videos  More!

County Extension Offi ces Offering

Home Energy Audit Loan (HEAL) Program Kits and School Energy Activity Loan (SEAL) Program Kits

= HEAL Program kits available

= Both HEAL & SEAL Program kits available

As community needs for energy information change, so do our resources. For the most up-to-date information

or to request our services in your area, contact us at: www.ext.colostate.edu/energy

(970) 491-3784

Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating. CSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of products mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.