The list below contains summaries of all Colorado incentives and laws related to Ethanol.
The Colorado Office of Economic Development administers the Bioscience Discovery Evaluation Grant Program, which provides grants to research institutions for biofuels research projects. Biofuels research is defined as the use of microorganisms, specialized proteins, or thermal processes to develop biofuels and the related processes that make traditional manufacturing of energy cleaner and more efficient. Biofuel is defined as a biologically based fuel product developed from plant matter or other biological material, including renewable agricultural sources. Grant limits, matching funds, and other eligibility requirements apply. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 24-48.5-108)
Colorado Corn currently administers two ethanol fueling infrastructure incentive programs. The Advancing Colorado's Renewable Energy (ACRE) grant program provides up to $15,000 for each qualified E85 fueling station. Projects must meet the application requirements and receive approval from Colorado Corn. Eligible infrastructure must be located in a rural area, as defined by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. ACRE grants are currently available and expire in February 2012.
The Colorado Blender Pump Pilot Program provides up to $5,000 for each qualified station dispensing mid-level ethanol blends. Projects must meet the application requirements and receive approval from Colorado Corn and the Colorado Department of Oil and Public Safety. Funding is available for up to ten stations in the state.
Point of Contact
Katrina Davis
Ethanol Project Manager
Colorado Corn
Phone: (970) 351-8201
kdavis@coloradocorn.com
http://www.coloradocorn.com/
Upon registering a motor vehicle with the Colorado Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles, the vehicle owner must report the types of alternative fuel used to operate the vehicle and whether the vehicle is dedicated to one alternative fuel or uses more than one fuel. The Department of Revenue provides forms for the purpose of registering motor vehicles and must include space for the following fuel types: gasoline, diesel, propane, electricity, natural gas, methanol/M85, ethanol/E85, biodiesel, and other. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 42-3-113)
The Colorado Clean Energy Development Authority may issue bonds to finance projects that involve the production, transportation, and storage of clean energy. Clean energy is defined as fuels that are produced, and energy that is derived, from sources including but not limited to the following: biodiesel; biomass resources such as biogas, agricultural or animal waste, landfill gas, and anaerobically digested waste biomass; biomass resources that do not include energy generated by use of fossil fuel; fuel cells that do not use fossil fuels; and zero-emissions generation technology, including emission of carbon dioxide, with long-term production potential. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 40-9.7-101 through 110)
The Colorado Division of Oil and Public Safety is responsible for enforcing rules concerning the placement of underground and aboveground storage tanks that contain renewable fuel. These rules must be promulgated so that the process of obtaining a permit for an underground storage tank that contains renewable fuel is more efficient and affordable. For the purpose of this regulation, a renewable fuel is a motor vehicle fuel that is produced from plant or animal products or wastes, as opposed to fossil fuel sources. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 8-20.5-202 and 8-20.5-302)
The Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration (DPA) has adopted a policy that requires all state-owned diesel vehicles and equipment to be fueled with a fuel blend of 20% biodiesel (B20), subject to the availability of the fuel and so long as the price differential is not greater than $0.10 more per gallon as compared to conventional diesel. Biodiesel is defined as fuel composed of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from plant or animal matter that meets ASTM specifications and is produced in Colorado.
Additionally, DPA has adopted a policy to increase the use of alternative fuels and establish objectives to increase its use for each succeeding year. DPA must purchase motor vehicles that operate on compressed natural gas (CNG), subject to the availability of vehicles and adequate fueling infrastructure. If purchases of CNG vehicles are not possible due to the incremental cost being more than 10%, DPA must purchase another type of flexible fuel, hybrid electric, or all-electric vehicle, also subject to availability and incremental costs. DPA may adopt a policy to allow some vehicles to be exempt from this requirement.
Lastly, each state agency must develop a plan to improve commuting options for its employees. The plans should evaluate opportunities including plug-in electric vehicle charging.
(Reference Executive Order D0012 07, 2007, and Colorado Revised Statutes 24-30-1104)
Point of Contact
Art Hale
Colorado State Fleet Manager
Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration, Division of Central Services
Phone: (303) 866-5531
Fax: (303) 866-5511
art.hale@state.co.us
Alternative fuel is defined as compressed natural gas, propane, ethanol, or any mixture containing 85% or more ethanol (E85) with gasoline or other fuels, electricity, or any other fuels, which may include, but are not limited to, clean diesel and reformulated gasoline, so long as the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission determines that these other fuels result in comparable reductions in carbon monoxide emissions and brown cloud pollutants. Alternative fuel does not include any fuel product that contains or is treated with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 25-7-106.8)
The term GGE is defined to equate the energy content of any motor fuel, including alternative fuels, to that of a gallon of gasoline. Any dispenser used for the sale of motor fuel in GGEs must display GGEs as the primary display information provided. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 8-20-232.5)