Developers in Pitkin County have not yet embraced renewable energy as the go-to source.
On Tuesday, Pitkin County Commissioners heard an update on proposed changes to the county’s energy code and ways to incentivize green energy. The Renewable Energy Mitigation Program (REMP) requires that developers offset energy-intensive projects by either investing in renewable systems or paying a fee. According to chief building officer Brian Pawl, it’s working — and it’s needed.
“Renewable energy just for the sake of renewable energy is not very common in Pitkin County," Pawl told commissioners. "There’s very few systems that are just there for the good of reducing your usage in your home.”
Most of the rooftop solar systems in the county were installed to offset outdoor energy use from products like snowmelt systems or heated pools.