C4 Secures Future of Solar Garden in Historic 30-Day Deal

LEADVILLE, CO – 5/1/24 – In a remarkable display of community collaboration, Cloud City Conservation Center (C4) has successfully acquired the solar garden near County Rd 10, Lake County’s first and only community solar garden. This acquisition secures the future of vital environmental infrastructure, safeguarding over one million dollars initially invested, and ensuring its continued benefit for the Lake County community and beyond.

As of April 1, 2024, the future of the solar facility hung in the balance. Faced with unforeseen circumstances, the existing ownership structure became unsustainable. The potential loss of this valuable asset sparked immediate action from C4, along with officials from Lake County, Parkville Water, and the Town of Breckenridge.

"This was a catastrophic situation that no one could have predicted, and we knew the solar garden was irreplaceable," says Emily Olsen, Executive Director of C4. “It wasn’t sustainable under for-profit ownership, but in rural mountain communities like Leadville, some projects just make more sense to operate as a nonprofit. C4 was pleased to have been in a position to save the solar garden and to re-start generating green energy for our community. We simply couldn't allow it to disappear.”

In alignment with statewide goals, C4 is leading community efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Lake County. When functioning, the solar garden could generate over 900,000 kilowatt hours annually, reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by over 600 tons, and save subscribers an estimated $120,000 in electric bill credits. C4 looks forward to collaborating with the Lake County government on the Lake County Climate Action Plan in 2024.

Recognizing the importance of the solar garden, C4 embarked on an ambitious 30-day campaign to secure its future. They reached out to a diverse range of stakeholders and received letters of support from Parkville Water, the Town of Breckenridge, Energy Smart Colorado, Community Solar Platform, Energy Outreach Colorado, and many others in the community.

"The response was overwhelming," Olsen continues. "Lake County played a pivotal role, offering invaluable financial assistance as the majority subscriber as well as assistance navigating the assignment of the land lease on County land. Parkville Water stepped up as a key partner, recognizing the benefit of having their share begin to start producing power again. The Town of Breckenridge provided crucial logistical support throughout the process since they have participated in similar agreements in their own community.”

This swift and successful collaboration averted a significant loss for the solar garden's shareholders. Many stakeholders and families in the community had invested in the project expecting it to generate power for the next 20 years. Its closure would have meant losing their investment entirely.

"We are incredibly grateful to C4 and all the partners involved," says John Wells, a long-time shareholder of the solar garden. "Their dedication saved an important community asset and we are proud to support our community, our future, and our children’s future.”

The acquisition marks a new chapter for the solar garden. C4 will convene a committee to assist with the restoration process, including affected members such as Lake County, Moosehaven Apartments, Parkville Water and others. C4 will begin fundraising efforts to repair and upgrade the facility. These repairs will ensure the garden is fully functional, in addition to improving long-term durability. By replacing the inverter, which does not function properly, C4 hopes to start generating power as soon as possible. 

As part of their plan to operate and maintain the garden for the next 15 years–the operational life of the current equipment–C4 will reestablish bill credits for member subscribers and donate 5% of the power to low income households through the Community Solar Program. 

C4 is clearly excited to rescue this facility from the brink. “Many people and organizations put tons of energy into the solar garden at the beginning of this project,” says Olson. “It’s nice that we’ll soon be getting some of that energy back.”

About Cloud City Conservation Center

Cloud City Conservation Center (C4) is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering pathways to a healthier planet and community through initiatives that inspire the conservation of our natural environment in Lake County, CO. In alignment with our vision “Healthy Planet, Healthy People” we currently have 4 main focus areas: Energy, Environmental Education, Sustainable Food, and Waste Diversion. 

Contact:

Emily Olsen

Executive Director

emily@c4leadville.org

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