P-14 Creation of Renewable Energy Regional Hubs: The Case of Northern Colorado

Buller Hall

The United States is the number one consumer of energy but was a late entrant into researching and implementing renewable energy programs. There is a growing interest across the U.S. from entrepreneurs, policy makers, economic development centers, and consumers into creating renewable energy centers, and thereby create regional economies of scale. The purpose of this case study is to take an in-depth look at the factors characterizing the conditions that entrepreneurs and policy makers found in Northern Colorado which created the ripe opportunity to transform the region into one of the main hubs of activity in the United States. The development of a framework for the creation of regional hubs of entrepreneurial activity around renewable energy will contribute to policy makers, entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce, and renewable energy associations who would like to establish a hub of activity in their region.