The Colorado Energy Office has awarded $1.6 million in grants to support geothermal heating and cooling initiatives statewide, with significant funding directed to projects in the Yampa Valley, according to a statement released on Monday. 

This marks the final round of the Geothermal Energy Grant Program, which has distributed $10.3 million to 56 projects since the program’s launch in November 2023.

Colorado Mountain College’s Steamboat Springs campus received $84,000 to retrofit its 43,503-square-foot Bristol Hall with a geothermal heating and cooling system. The project will tap into existing geothermal boreholes from the adjacent Academic Building, aligning with the college’s long-term sustainability goals. The retrofit will replace outdated gas-fired boilers, enhance energy efficiency and lower the campus’s carbon footprint.

Additionally, the town of Hayden was awarded $100,000 to pursue single-structure geothermal heating and cooling systems for the development of Hayden Business Park. Building on a recent thermal energy network scoping study, the two-phase project will support 342 tons of capacity and advance Hayden’s goals to become a geothermal energy utility.

Statewide, 16 projects received funding in this round, with nearly 90% of funds benefiting disproportionately impacted, low-income or just transition communities. Governor Jared Polis praised the program’s role in saving Coloradans money and protecting air quality.

For a full list of recipients and more details, visit the Colorado Energy Office’s Geothermal Incentive Award Tracker at tinyurl.com/4436k5v5.