Power Ahead readies $59.6M incentives, adviser program and $6M innovation grants; contractor hub and ad campaign launched
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Summary
Staff briefed the committee on incentive program design (budgeted at $59.6M), energy advising tiers with two advisers onboarded, a $6M innovation pilot grant, and the January website and contractor‑finder launch; early metrics show 23 registered contractors and nine leads from initial marketing.
Power Ahead Colorado staff provided a detailed status update on incentives, energy advising and the innovation grant program. Mac (program lead) said the incentives and advising portfolio is budgeted at $59,600,000 and covers direct incentives for equipment such as cold‑climate heat pumps and heat‑pump water heaters, human energy advising for building owners, and program administration delivered by vendor VEIC (Vermont Energy Investment Corporation).
Mac described three modes of incentives under design: downstream incentives directed to end customers (assignable to contractors), contractor‑directed bonuses to support soft costs and quality installation, and midstream incentives directed to distributors to improve local equipment stocking and pricing. He said staff is drawing on Efficiency Vermont design experience through VEIC and is coordinating with utilities including Xcel Energy, PRPA, Tri‑State and Colorado Springs for alignment. The internal target for completing program design is March 31, with a staggered Q2 public launch of individual incentives.
Energy advising will follow a tiered model: Tier 0 website resources; Tier 1 basic adviser support; Tier 2 technical project support (VEIC experts); and Tier 3 on‑site engineering and deeper technical assistance. Mac said two human energy advisers (VEIC staff based in Colorado) are already on board and transitioning to Power Ahead Colorado.
Mac also described a $6,000,000 innovation pilot program (separate from the local‑government subawards) administered by VEIC. The first round focuses on three tracks: reducing market friction and soft costs, technical and grid optimization, and community‑based design and health/accessibility. Staff aim for a Q2 solicitation release and invited committee feedback on design details.
Robert and Chris gave a marketing update: the first website iteration launched Jan. 13 and a paid ad campaign began Jan. 26 across digital and broadcast channels (including targeted Spanish‑language buys). The contractor finder currently lists 23 registered contractors; Clay reported nine contractors had received leads from initial marketing. Staff stressed they verify local mechanical licensure on contractor profiles and display license status; the site carries a disclaimer that DRCOG and program vendors assume no liability for contractor performance.
Clay reported a separate development on licensure: the state sunrise review (DORA) rejected the DRCOG proposal for statewide HVAC licensure, finding insufficient evidence to support statewide licensure and imposing a three‑year waiting period before refiling through the sunrise process. Clay said DRCOG staff do not plan to pursue statewide licensure through that process at this time.
Committee members asked detailed design questions about distributor incentives, co‑branding of outreach materials for local jurisdictions, geographic limits for assistance (requests from outside the DRCOG region), and liability/vetting for contractors. Staff offered follow‑up one‑on‑one meetings with VEIC on midstream design and a social toolkit for jurisdiction co‑branding.
