The Governor’s Energy Office on Wednesday submitted a $49 million proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy explaining how it would spend stimulus funds on energy-related projects.
The proposal offers an overview of how the GEO would direct the funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create jobs through clean-energy and efficiency projects.
The proposal doesn’t say how many jobs would be created since it does not detail specific projects, said GEO spokesman Todd Hartman.
“It isn’t a solicitation for actual projects,” Hartman said. “It lays out the general blueprint of how the GEO wants to direct the stimulus dollars in the state energy programs.”
If approved, the GEO will allocate stimulus funds to seven key areas.
For instance, $19.2 million could go to help finance energy projects, including debt financing and grants, $9.8 million in rebates, grants and incentives to promote renewable energy and $4.9 million for commercial-building upgrades.
Another $4.8 million would be for public information and consumer outreach. The remaining funds would go to utilities and transmission, greening government programs and residential programs.
The GEO will solicit proposals in coming weeks for projects that could be funded by the stimulus money, the office said.
Apart from state energy programs, stimulus funds also will flow into weatherization programs ($80 million) and to energy-efficiency and conservation projects in towns and cities ($42 million).
Gargi Chakrabarty: 303-954-2976 or gchakrabarty@denverpost.com
