<p>The Colorado Energy Office has recently announced a new program called Cannabis Resource Optimization Program (CROP) for licensed cultivators in the state of Colorado. The goal of this program is to reduce the energy output associated with cannabis cultivation. It's estimated that licensed cultivation facilities use an estimated 2% of the electricity that's generated in Colorado. Electricity isn't the only thing you use when you're&nbsp;growing cannabis. Cultivators also use propane and other natural gases to operate parts of their grow. Electricity and other energy expenditures make up about 33% of a cultivation business' operating costs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h2 id="0">What Is The Cannabis Resource Optimization Program?</h2>
<p>The Colorado Energy Office believes that there is room for cultivators to save significantly on energy costs. To assist cultivators in this process, the Colorado Energy Office created the Cannabis Resource Optimization Program, also known as CROP. The Cannabis Resource Optimization Program will provide eligible cannabis cultivation businesses with no-cost technical assistance, including a facility audit, an analysis of previously used resources, and help with financing to get newer, more efficient equipment. The Colorado Energy Office is partnering with a company Resource Innovations to put the CROP program into effect.<br /><br />The Colorado Energy Office is partnering with the Colorado Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) and a lending institution to provide financing to help program participants implement efficiency measures. After your facility has been audited, you'll have the ability to get financing to purchase more efficient equipment through the CROP program.</p>
<h3 id="1">Here's The Steps on How To Apply For The Cannabis Resource Optimization Program</h3>
<h3 id="2">Step 1: Determine If You're Eligible</h3>
<p><strong>Eligibility requirements:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Must be a cannabis cultivation facility registered with the State of Colorado&nbsp;</li>
<li>Must have a combined monthly electric and gas utility bill of $5,000 or more.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Cultivation facility does not already have access to energy-specific technical assistance through its utility provider&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Xcel Energy, Black Hills Energy, and Platte River Power Authority (Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont, &amp; Loveland utilities) customers are not eligible for technical audits, but are encouraged to access their utility&rsquo;s technical assistance offerings. Implementation support and financing will become available for all cannabis cultivators later this year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="3">Step 2: Submit an Application</h3>
<p>In order to be considered for CROP, cultivators are required to submit a completed application. CEO and Resource Innovations will conduct 30 technical assessments during the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). These assessments are conducted on a first come, first served basis. Applications will be available here starting February 15, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h3 id="4">Step 3: Gather Information &amp; Schedule an Assessment</h3>
<p>The Colorado Energy Office has partnered with Resource Innovations to provide technical assistance for CROP. Once you have been accepted into the program, a representative will contact you to schedule an on-site audit of your facilities to begin the process. &nbsp;<br />Collecting your operation&rsquo;s historic resource usage data is a critical first step, including (where applicable):&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Electricity usage&nbsp;</li>
<li>Natural gas usage&nbsp;</li>
<li>Propane usage&nbsp;</li>
<li>CO2 usage&nbsp;</li>
<li>Water usage&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p>This data, coupled with the on-site facility audit, will allow Resource Innovations to identify opportunities for efficiency improvements in your operations.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Renewable energy assessments are also available upon request.</p>
<h3 id="5">Step 4: Guided Assessment &amp; Report Development</h3>
<p>After conducting a technical energy assessment, Resource Innovations will deliver a summary report about your facility. This report will detail current performance metrics of your facility, recommended efficiency measures, and projected resource usage and cost saving potential.</p>
<h3 id="6">Step 5: Review Your Financing Options</h3>
<p>Alongside your assessment report, Resource Innovations will help you assess available financing options to pay for the implementation of efficiency measures. &nbsp;</p>
<p>The Colorado Energy Office has partnered with Colorado Clean Energy Fund to provide low-cost financing for eligible projects. Other project financing options such as&nbsp;<a href="https://copace.com/">C-PACE</a>, equipment manufacturer financing and utility rebates may also be available.</p>
<p>The CROP program offers technical support to cultivators who do not currently have access to technical assistance through their local utility. The Energy Office anticipates that access to financing will be available to all cultivators later this year. &nbsp;At this time, we recommend cultivators who are not eligible for technical assistance through CROP to take advantage of current offerings from their utility provider. You can find more information about these offerings in the &ldquo;Additional Resources&rdquo; section below.</p>
<h3 id="7">Step 6: Apply for Funding</h3>
<p>After identifying which projects to prioritize, Resource Innovations and the Colorado Clean Energy Fund will assist cultivators in gathering necessary documents and applying for financing</p>
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