VAIL - On July 25, 2024, Governor Polis visited the Vail, a Polis administration geothermal grant recipient, to discuss how they will utilize geothermal energy to reduce emissions and provide clean, low-cost energy. Earlier this year, Vail was awarded funding through the administration’s Geothermal Energy Grant Program, which invested $7.7 million in 35 opportunities across the state to expand geothermal energy, helping Colorado reach 100% renewable energy by 2040 and save Coloradans money on energy bills.

“Colorado is using the heat beneath our feet to save people money and access clean, lower-cost energy. Geothermal energy is helping us improve air quality and reliability. The plans moving forward in Vail are a great example of how we can harness geothermal energy and help power our future,” said Governor Polis.

The Town of Vail received $250,000 to perform an evaluation study for how to best utilize geothermal energy and plan the revitalization of the town’s civic area. The project looks to initially incorporate the library, wastewater treatment plant, ice arena, and area snowmelt systems. The project design will include provisions for future additions such as area hotels as the town aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, with geothermal energy identified as a key solution to replace natural gas and snowmelt systems.

Colorado has provided $7.7 million in grant funding through the Geothermal Energy Grant Program for 35 initiatives across the state to advance the use of zero-emissions geothermal energy in Colorado. HB22-1381, a bipartisan law signed by Governor Polis and sponsored by Representatives Titone and McKean, and Senators Winter and Woodward, allocated a total of $12 million for the initiative. In addition to the state support, awardees are investing more than $100 million into the awarded initiatives.

Governor Polis has visited several awarded project sites across the state to highlight the important work awardees are doing to take advantage of Colorado’s abundant “heat beneath our feet,” which was the focus of Governor Polis’ 2022 Chair Initiative for the Western Governors’ Association.