GRAND LAKE RESIDENTS RECEIVE $50K FROM COLORADO ENERGY OFFICE’S SUSTAINABLE REBUILD REBATE

In the wake of the devastating East Troublesome Fire in 2020, many Grand County residents were faced with the daunting task of replacing their homes. Some victims, including the Stephens family in rural Grand Lake, opted to rebuild all-electric, joining a growing number of homeowners who value lower energy bills and sustainability.

The Stephens family was the first local recipient of the Colorado Energy Office’s Sustainable Rebuild Rebate. In combination with Mountain Parks Electric rebates, they were awarded nearly $50,000 in total for their new home.

“It’s always been in my blood to do things in a sustainable way,” Matt Stephens said. “So when this disaster happened, there was no question about how we’d rebuild. We also didn’t want to be reliant on fluctuating fuel costs, so it made sense to design the house as all-electric and then produce our own electricity. We installed some back-up heat sources but haven’t had to use them because the heat pumps perform as designed, and the house is super insulated, which means less heat loss. Overall, we couldn’t be more satisfied with our decisions to rebuild a highefficiency, all-electric home; with available federal, state and MPE rebates, the extra costs were offset.”

The Stephens family isn’t the only MPE household going electric.

As propane prices have risen in recent years, heat pumps are becoming more common in our mountain communities. Shawn Bruton has been a resident in her Sun Valley community for more than 40 years. She initially installed a 1,000-gallon propane tank to fuel her furnace and heat her home, but then last winter happened. Propane prices increased, and she could no longer ignore existing solar/electric incentives. She’s leaving the propane tank for the next potential owner, but, like the Stephens family, she’s all in on solar/electric.

To learn more about efficient electric heating and appliance options, call

Mountain Parks Electric at 970-887-3378, ext. 6, or visit mpei.com/rebates.

MORE ABOUT THE COLORADO ENERGY OFFICE’S SUSTAINABLE REBUILD REBATE

This rebate program is available to full-time homeowners/rentals and covers things such as heat pumps, induction stoves, EV chargers, solar installations, and heat pump water heaters. There is an all-electric bonus, as well as a rebate for meeting Energy Star V3.2 or IECC 2021 efficiency standards. Additionally, if you’re in the process of rebuilding from the East Troublesome Fire, a new local nonprofit organization can help you navigate available rebates. Sustainable Grand offers consultations to anyone who is interested in retrofitting or building a new home in a sustainable way. Visit sustainablegrand.org for more information about local, state, and federal rebates for fire rebuilds. Frederic Chasse, ACCT 1024757