Colorado New Energy Improvement District (NEID)
The Colorado New Energy Improvement District (NEID) is a statewide special statutory district created to establish, develop, implement, and administer the Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program. A seven-member Board of Directors governs the NEID. Sustainable Real Estate Solutions administers the C-PACE program on behalf of the NEID.
What is Property Assessed Clean Energy Finance?
Colorado’s C-PACE program allows commercial, industrial, multifamily, and agricultural property owners to finance up to 100% of the cost of eligible energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation improvements. Property owners repay the loan through a voluntary special assessment, which is repaid over the financing term (up to 25 years). The annual energy cost savings typically exceed the annual assessment payment. The following resources provide an overview of C-PACE:
- Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkley National Lab C-PACE Study 2023
- U.S. Department of Energy C-PACE overview
- PACENation
- Colorado C-PACE News
- Financial and Economic C-PACE Market (2023)
For more information about the C-PACE program, visit the Colorado C-PACE program website.
Participating Counties
The District's boundaries are determined by counties that opt to join the District through a resolution of a Board of County Commissioners. Commercial, industrial, multifamily and agricultural property and building owners in any of the 39 participating counties in Colorado are eligible to participate in this program.
C-PACE Market Data
As of October 2023, the C-PACE program has closed 123 projects totalling $250 million in project financing. These projects have been completed across the 39 participating Colorado counties.
Board Members
The Colorado New Energy Improvement District is governed by a Board of Directors pursuant to 32-20-104 C.R.S. This board includes the Colorado Energy Office Director or their designee and six other governor-appointed members. The board members represent experiences working in energy efficiency, renewable energy, commercial real estate development, banking and finance, and the utility industry. The board members are as follows:
- Michael Turner, Chair - Director of Strategic Initiatives & Finance; Colorado Energy Office
- Grant Nelson - Partner; Integro Strategic Finance
- Kate Cusack - Managing Director, Head of Production; Nuveen Green Capital
- Matthew Baldner - Regional President for Denver Metro; ANB Bank
- Rachel Mountain - Director for Commercial and Industrial Solar; Namaste Solar
- George McGuirk - Manager - Federal Regulatory Affairs; Xcel Energy
- Stephanie Greene - Managing Director of Sustainability Consulting & Advisory; CBRE
Support team:
- Legal, Accounting and Special District Programmatic Support Team:
- District Legal Representation - Michow, Guckenberger, McAskin, LLP
- District Accounting and Financial Services - Jim Gilbert CPA LLC
- Eric Cowan, Recording Secretary - Clean Energy Finance Program Manager, Colorado Energy Office
- Program Administrator: Sustainable Real Estate Solutions, Inc - Monroe, CT
Special District Association of Colorado Member Name: Colorado New Energy Improvement District
NEID Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) Policy
The New Energy Improvement District is committed to transparency and open government in accordance with the Colorado Open Records Act (“CORA”) (§ 24-72-201 to 206, C.R.S.). All CORA requests to the office should be submitted to both of the District’s CORA staff:
- Evin King, evin@mcm-legal.com
- Eric Cowan, eric.cowan@state.co.us
Under the District’s CORA policy, the District can charge $30 per hour, including research and retrieval fees (including preparing a privilege log if/as necessary).
*The District will request a cost deposit (in advance) prior to compiling records responsive to a CORA request.
The NEID is a Colorado Special District overseen by the Colorado Energy Office - CEO is a non-regulatory agency - see more information about CORA.