Highlands Ranch - Alternative Fuel City of the Future

ThunderRidge high school seniors lobbying State Capitol leaders to create energy cities across Colorado

On March 18, 2009, ThunderRidge high school seniors, Abhi Rahman and Miranda Carey met with Mr. Bart Miller, senior attorney, office of legislative legal services in the Capitol Building. The meeting was held in the office of Senate Majority Leader, Brandon C. Shaffer’s office.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the pro’s and con’s of drafting a house bill referred measure to allow communities to form their own energy city in Colorado. The vision of the energy city is to create a diversified economy that attracts and retains energy businesses to the new energy city. Some of the other benefits are:

- bring communities statewide into the clean energy movement
- diversify local economy
- attract high paying clean tech jobs
- solidify local tax base
- residents reap the financial rewards - energy city government pays the residents instead of the residents paying local government

Abhi Rahman stated, “It’s important for Highlands Ranch and Colorado to start an open dialogue with our state leaders to discuss creative ideas and concepts that addresses our local energy needs for the next 10-20 years.” Miranda Carey further added, “We thank Senator Shaffer’s office for inviting us back to talk further about how the Colorado Constitution can possibly be amended that will allow any community in Colorado to perform a local vote to form an energy city.”

31 ThunderRidge high school seniors over the last three years have designed an energy city strategy and tactical plan for Highlands Ranch by using a clean technology web lab incubator as the focal point for the new energy city. The energy city will offer clean-tech wet lab facilities and business mentoring services to energy-related start-up companies. The energy incubator will stimulate the local economy by attracting energy businesses, attract capital and solidify the tax base.

For more information on this topic: Energy City Formation at State Capitol

Energy City of Highlands Ranch Website: www.hrcleantech.com

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Two ThunderRidge high school seniors visited the Colorado State Capitol today to lobby key political leaders about amending the state constitution. Key introductions were made by a lobbyist who is mentoring the two seniors on how to lobby.

The two TRHS seniors are seeking two legislator sponsors for a referendum to allow any large or small community in Colorado to form an energy city styled government entity based upon subsequent voter approval to form an energy city.

They met six political leaders and the seniors are excited to report back they are being invited back to the capital to further discuss their energy city strategy.

This amendment change can empower smaller towns to seek out new ways to generate revenue by forming a municipal energy city entity. Larger community’s like Highlands Ranch can then ask the voters of Highlands Ranch if they want to incorporate just as an energy city and build a best-in-class wet laboratory energy business incubator to attract and retain new energy businesses to Highlands Ranch and Douglas County. The energy city will be fully transparent with elected people to run the incubator and seek out voter approval on initiatives that may impact their finances. The energy city is NOT a city with a mayor, police, fire protection and water/sewage services. The energy city will allow the residents and homeowners to empower themselves to be less reliant on traditional energy fuel sources.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

The same four seniors presented their Energy City of Highlands Ranch research topics to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, other county employees and a handful of citizen attendees. At the end of the presentation, the commissioners asked some excellent questions on the fuel cell technology and the energy city concept in general. All three of the commissioners stated to the seniors that they were impressed on how thoughtful and well prepared they were to present their research topics. They all stated the senior project topics will be reviewed for further discussions and shared with the county’s sustainability group.