Tuesday afternoon in Denver was a fitting day for the first stakeholder’s meeting of the Solar Thermal Alliance of Colorado, a perfect example of the many reasons Colorado is a prime state for solar thermal technology. Plenty of abundant sunshine and warm days, not to mention cool nights and cold groundwater temperatures, make Colorado the American epicenter for solar thermal technology.

Why then has the state largely ignored solar thermal’s potential?

That’s the question and motivation behind the formation of the Solar Thermal Alliance of Colorado (STAC), a strategic alliance committed to advancing solar thermal technology in Colorado. STAC was initiated by the executive directors of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) and Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) and will be composed of leaders in the solar industry, innovators, utility representatives, agricultural organizations, energy professionals, economic development committees, environmental coalitions, and other key stakeholders.

“We’re addressing something historic here and something that has the power to truly change Colorado,” said Neal Lurie, executive director of Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association. “There is a tremendous opportunity here both environmentally and economically.  We’re seeing an acceleration in clean energy across the country but we haven’t yet seen Colorado keeping pace on the solar thermal side of things.”

During the meeting, Laurent Meillon, president of Capitol Solar Energy, gave a presentation on the benefits, opportunities, and challenges associated with solar thermal technology in Colorado.

“I have been in business for over twenty years, and I have never seen an opportunity like the potential for solar thermal in Colorado,” he said. “Solar thermal could address over half of energy needs for homes in addition to providing local labor and manufacturing opportunities. The opportunities far outweigh the challenges.”

The Solar Thermal Alliance of Colorado will be creating and implementing a roadmap over the next year that will guide them in their mission to bring solar thermal technology into the spotlight in Colorado. The New York State Solar Thermal Consortium established a similar guide, the New York Solar Thermal Roadmap, which will serve as an example for STAC to follow.

“We want to make Colorado a global leader in solar thermal technology,” said Lurie. “That’s why we’re here today, to start thinking about how we can identify both roadblocks to success and opportunities for growth. We believe this is the foundation, the beginning point of the development of a broad-scale alliance.”

Pictured: Full house heating system with boiler interface. Image courtesy of Capitol Solar Energy