When natural gas prices doubled after Russia invaded Ukraine, Colorado families saw their heating bills spike by hundreds of dollars. But not everyone felt the pain equally.
Families who had invested in efficient heat pumps or solar-plus-battery systems weathered the storm far better. These technologies now function like an insurance policy for household budgets, providing reliable comfort while reducing exposure to the global energy shocks we can’t control.
My own home in Durango is one example. Over the past 14 years we’ve added solar panels, then a battery system, followed by a heat pump water heater and cold weather ductless mini split. Today we produce more electricity than we consume, our home is a comfortable temperature year-round, and our monthly bill rarely rises above the $23 connection fee.
We made those investments to reduce our emissions. The more surprising benefit has been energy security. We are more resilient to local winter storms and bigger world trends. Regardless of changes in geopolitics, domestic policies, or the rapid build out of AI data centers, our efficient home energy system will keep providing power my family can afford.
There’s another benefit, one that matters to every Colorado ratepayer. Today’s clean energy upgrades are designed to support local utilities through efficiency measures that reduce overall demand and smart controls that reduce the amount of electricity needed during peak hours. That means fewer expensive new power plants need to be built, resulting in lower long-term costs for everyone.
Across Colorado, electric utilities are leading the way in linking household rebates with smarter grid operations. La Plata Electric Association offers rebates for devices like home battery systems, EV chargers, heat pump water heaters and smart thermostats – but with an important condition. To qualify, devices must be configured to help smooth out the daily demand curve.
For example, an EV can be programmed to charge overnight, or a water heater can preheat during midday when renewable energy is abundant. A battery energy storage system can charge when there’s lots of solar power on the system, then run household appliances during peak evening hours. This coordinated approach creates a win-win: families save money, and the grid becomes more reliable for everyone.
Federal tax credits are available for clean energy and efficiency upgrades, but only if you act before the end of 2025. State-level incentives are available as well. Homeowners planning projects should look into all available programs while they last.
That doesn’t mean every family must rush into a whole-home transformation. You can create an energy-efficient home step-by-step over time – with incentives or without. Start with an energy audit. Replace an aging water heater with a heat pump model. Consider a smart thermostat or ductless mini-split to cut bills and add comfort – heat pumps provide air conditioning as well as heat. Home battery storage gives you better control over electricity pricing, whether you team it with solar panels or not. Each action makes your household more resilient while strengthening Colorado’s grid.
Coloradans have always valued independence, thrift and stewardship of the land. Today, household clean energy upgrades are one of the most practical ways to live those values. They save money. They protect families from volatile fossil fuel costs. They lower the long-term costs of running our utilities. And they reduce pollution.
Don’t wait for the next energy crisis to wish you’d acted. Start with an energy audit today. Visit energysmartcolorado.org to find out more.
Kathy Fackler writes about energy and climate issues from Durango. Her blog, PoweringForward.org, focuses on the impacts of changing policy as our energy systems evolve.
