Future Energy City of Highlands Ranch Projects
ThunderRidge H.S. Seniors Will Lobby State Capital for Ballot Amendment
Going into the third year of the Energy City of Highlands Ranch research project, nine ThunderRidge High School seniors are working on four energy city research modules. The overall goal of the multi-year research is for Highlands Ranch to become the first community in the world to incorporate and offer only one city service - energy. The long term goal for the energy city is to empower every household and business to get off the grid by the year 2020.
The 2008-09 ThunderRidge H.S. energy city research projects are:
1. Amend State of Colorado Constitution - Title 30 & Title 31 Statutes. Two seniors working with a lobbyist and two attorney’s ( who are well versed in municipality legal issues), will lobby the State Capital to gain interest in amending the Colorado Constitution. Amending the constitution will allow Colorado communities to incorporate and focus on just one city service, energy. Colorado voters would vote on this ballot issue in November, 2010.
2. Residential Fuel Cell Technology Pilot Program - Three seniors will form relationships with Japanese fuel cell manufacturers and Colorado political representatives to use Highlands Ranch as the first residential beta location to test the feasibility of residential home fuel cells. Fuel cell technology can reduce home energy consumption by 30%.
3. Wind Monitoring Station on Shea Property - Two seniors will continue the wind research project that was done during the last school year. Seniors will liaison with Shea Homes, Douglas County and a national wind turbine installation company to procure and erect a wind tower, gather wind speed data and analyze data to assess the feasibility that Highlands Ranch can support wind turbine towers.
4. Speed Energy Efficiency Zones (SEEZ) speeding ticket surcharges - Two seniors will liaison with the Douglas County Sheriff’s department to assess the feasibility of levying a $500 SEEZ speeding ticket surcharge.
The seniors and the Douglas County Sheriff’s department will conduct random speed observation patrols to set up SEEZ monitoring stations. The seniors will observe and record Highlands Ranch auto speeders, set up speed monitoring checkpoints, observe drivers getting a speeding ticket, collect auto speed data and analyze data. The seniors will perform a return-on-investment analysis and present their findings to the Douglas County Commissioners in the Spring, 2009.
For more information, visit the Energy City of Highlands website.
