By: Robyn Lydick, Highlands Ranch Herald Staff Writer 05/01/2008

Not every high school gets the governor talking about senior projects. But ThunderRidge High School did for 16 students who really are trying to change the world, starting with Highlands Ranch.

Instead of shadowing a professional, planting trees or creating a one-time event, this pack of students - the second to work on the project - developed business models for an alternative energy business incubator and a plan to make the incubator pay for an eventual incorporated Highlands Ranch.

They are so sure, that senior Will Palamet announced a goal of putting the “clean energy city of Highlands Ranch” on the ballot in 2010.

Gov. Bill Ritter, a green advocate himself, joked from a podium in the school library that he wanted to be on the ballot with the initiative. Ultimately, the students want to see Highlands Ranch off the grid by 2020. One way they hope to achieve this is by a new form of incorporation.

Creating a new form of incorporation for a city requires changing the state Constitution. Ritter said that he would possibly support the idea. “We look at changing the state Constitution all the time,” he said. “I think I could support that.”

Steve Taraborelli, who originally approached the school two years ago about the clean-energy project, said that with a new form of incorporation, a city could support itself on royalty payments from business incubator graduates, not property taxes.

“Statistics say that for every $1 (invested) in a startup reaps $30 in (local tax revenue) the local economy,” Taraborelli said. “It’s a good return on investment.” Taraborelli’s vision does not include venture capital. He said that venture capitalists tend to want control.

Businesses that survive would have space in a light industrial park that the students located on land near Lucent and Highlands Ranch Parkway. Others could locate throughout Douglas County, Taraborelli said.

Speaking to an assembled audience of about 60 people, Taraborelli quoted the 1998 film, “Rounders.” “You can’t lose what you don’t put in the middle, but you can’t win much, either,” he said. “Highlands Ranch is putting money in the middle (of the energy table). Energy (companies always manage to keep the) house rake. (Now it is time that Highlands Ranch) can keep the rake.”

Re: “Ritter praises ‘green’ students; ThunderRidge seniors create a business plan to make Highlands Ranch fully renewable,” April 25 news story.

Kudos to the ThunderRidge seniors who took the initiative to create a comprehensive plan for an alternative energy incubator in Highlands Ranch — with the goal of greatly reducing their community’s reliance on fossil fuels by 2020. Kudos also to Burt Automotive Group CEO L.G. Chavez for giving the students seed money to get started. This is the kind of story that really gives me hope — something I’m in short supply of these days.

Jeannie Dunham, Denver

Reprinted: Source - DenverPost.com

Ritter praises “green” students

ThunderRidge seniors create a business plan to make Highlands Ranch fully renewable.

A proposal by Douglas County students to convert Highlands Ranch into the world’s first community to rely entirely on renewable energy drew praise Thursday from an impressed and kindred spirit: Gov. Bill Ritter.

The 16 seniors at ThunderRidge High School showed the governor their plan for the unincorporated Douglas County community to form an “energy platform” government and create a $14 million business incubator for renewable resources.

Their goal is to wean the suburb of 90,000 people from fossil fuels by 2020 — the same year Ritter hopes to reduce the state’s overall “carbon footprint” by 20 percent as part of his climate-action plan.

“I do not go to every high school in Colorado to talk about their senior projects,” the Democratic governor said. “But I believe in my heart of hearts that you will face a tough future unless we do the things you’re proposing today.”

Picking up an environmental initiative started by last year’s seniors, the group of top students crafted a comprehensive business plan — consulting with investment firms, energy companies and architects — for an energy campus on property near C-470.

The centerpiece would be the business incubator, where startup alternative-energy companies would gain subsidized work space in exchange for a share of their profits from licenses, patents and royalties.

“Hopefully it would attract the next Einstein in renewable energy,” said 17-year-old Will Palamet, the elected spokesman for his classmates.

The effort is the brainchild of local resident and renewable-energy proponent Steve Taraborelli, who prodded school officials to stress environmental responsibility among students.

Among its boosters is L.G. Chavez, chief executive of the Burt Automotive Group, which provided students with a $5,000 seed grant.

Ritter applauded the proposal and said it meshes with his efforts to lure alternative-energy companies to the state.

“We need to be a leader here,” Ritter said. “It provides for energy security . . . and it provides for economic security because we can build jobs around this.”

Students hope to place a measure on the 2010 local election ballot to incorporate Highlands Ranch for the purpose of converting to alternative energy.

“A lot of adults might look down at this,” said Palamet. “I know my father was kind of skeptical at first, but he seems to have opened his eyes a little to the concept.”

By Steve Lipsher
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 04/25/2008 05:29:36 AM MDT

Highlands Ranch would become the first incorporated city in the world that focuses 100% on energy initiatives

On Thursday, April 24, 2008, ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado hosted a Clean Tech Energy Day & Press Conference.

Clean Tech Energy Day was hosted by the 16 seniors who have worked on the year long “Energy City of Highlands Ranch” business plan research project.

The days events consisted of: Press Conference to announce the incorporation of Highlands Ranch as an Energy City, clean technology class presentations and a fuel efficiency auto display.

Governor Ritter and State Director Renny Fagan from Senator Salazar’s office attended the 10:00 am press conference.

Clean tech energy consultants who have worked with the 16 seniors throughout the school year conducted energy presentations about clean tech energy. Topics to include: Solar / wind production and fuel efficienct automobiles.

At the press conference, there was a major announcement that the Energy City of Highlands Ranch incorporation will be on the November ballot by the year 2010. This would make Highlands Ranch the first community in the world to incorporate as an energy city.

Reference Information: www.hrcleantech.com

The Vision for the City of Highlands Ranch is: Energy companies that relocate to Highlands Ranch will be focusing their efforts on climate change, energy research and development,making a contribution to the local economy, and transforming the city into a hub for “clean tech” research. Venture capitalists are investing into the Highlands Ranch clean technology companies that currently reside in the energy incubator. The energy incubator startup companies in Highlands Ranch could become tomorrow’s giant in the clean tech industry.

On March 25, 2008, five ThunderRidge high school seniors made a public presentation to the Highlands Ranch Metro District board of directors about the Vision and tactical plan for the Energy City of Highlands Ranch. Their presentation covered:

- Clean Tech Energy Incubator located on available land across the street from the Highlands Ranch Town Center

- Solar and Wind generation that makes the energy incubator self sustainable and can sell back excess energy into the Xcel Energy grid

- Water Conservation - offered solutions on how to save over $6.0 million and 1.3 billion gallons of water over a 10 year period

- Honda Civic compressed natural gas pilot in Highlands Ranch that can save the auto owner over $8,000 over a seven year period and how over $40.0 million can be saved and infused into the local economy instead of the funds going to the oil companies

- Financials were covered for the Energy City of Highlands Ranch infrastructure

The next public presentation will be on April 15, 2008 at 6:30 pm at the Highlands Ranch Community Association Recreational Advisory Committee meeting located in the Eastridge recreation center.

For more information: Highlands Ranch Clean Tech Website

All TRHS senior groups presented a progress report on their research modules:

Clean Tech Energy Incubator: Site plan and architectural drawings are complete. 3D Google Earth modeling and 3D virtual tour is being worked on.

Solar/Wind: Solar calculations and specifications have been completed. Minor adjustments to be made. Wind installation has yet to be scoped out. Installation of a wind tracking meter on the proposed site is being coordinated.

Transportation: The Honda Civic/Fuel Maker/Phill Station business plan is nearing completion.
A funding proposal to the state of Colorado for a 10 residential pilot is next on the agenda.

Water Conservation: Additional calculations are being performed to arrive at a return-on-investment figure to replace HRMD grass near roadways with rock cover. Stadium grass replacement figures are almost done.

Financing: All research groups will be forwarding their costs to the finance group for consolidation. Finance plans are still being discussed.

Marketing Communications: The MarCom group will be launching a March, 2008 marketing outreach program using newspaper, flyers and the Internet.

Burt Automotive Network
Ford Motor Company
Merrill Lynch
National Renewable Energy Lab
Centennial Water and Sanitation District
South Metro Chamber of Commerce
Energistic Systems
Concepts West Architecture

On Thursday, December 13, 2007, the five “Future City of Highlands Ranch” renewable energy/alternative fuel TRHS research groups presented a status report to an audience of about 20 attendees. Colorado State Representative, House District 43, Frank McNulty was also in attendance.

16 TRHS seniors are exploring innovative alternatives to empower Highlands Ranch to reduce their reliance on 3rd party energy sources, reduce water consumption and take Highlands Ranch off the grid by the year 2020. Outside organizations such as Burt Automotive Network, Concepts West Architecture, Merrill Lynch, Centennial Water & Sanitation and Energistic Systems are working with the students to develop the “Future City of Highlands Ranch” business plan.

The status of each energy research module included:

- Clean technology energy incubator on C-470/Lucent Blvd: will get LEEDs certified and have full drawings, model and on CAD/CAM by April, 2008

- Natural gas home garage fueling stations: working on a beta test program for Highlands Ranch, seeking alliance with Honda Motors, Fuel Maker Corporation and Xcel Energy to firm up pilot logistics

- Solar/Wind: this will be sited next to the energy incubator to generate electricity for the incubator buildings

- Water Conservation: now identifying the amount of Highlands Ranch Metro District maintained grass areas next to major roadways, calculate the cost to replace grass with rock cover and predict the return-on-investment and water savings. In addition, water saving bathroom appliances are also being explored.

- Financing: researching financing alternatives with federal/state grants, bond issuance scenarios and venture/angel investors

At the end of the presentations, State Representative McNulty stated to the students; “Good work - I ‘m impressed. What you are doing is important and these energy ideas will come from you.”

This energy independence school year research project is in its second year. The next roundtable update will be in mid-January.

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