Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile
ENERGY
Colorado is an energy powerhouse with abundant fossil fuels and renewable energy resources. The state is at the
forefront of new energy development for the nation with the integration of its energy-rich resource base including
coal, oil, and natural gas and renewable clean energy such as solar, wind, and biofuels. As a leader in the
Balanced Energy Economy, Colorado’s fossil fuel and renewable energy technologies, or cleantech, create jobs,
fuel economic growth, and stimulate innovation and technology development.
While the majority of Colorado’s fossil fuel extraction activity has traditionally taken place in western Colorado, the
bulk of the current oil drilling activity is occurring in Weld County. Further, many companies have Front Range
refining and production facilities and corporate offices in the nine-county Metro Denver and Northern Colorado
region1. The energy cluster in the nine-county region is organized around existing research assets and intellectual
resources that fuel energy growth and encourage universities, research institutions, federal laboratories, and
companies to deploy new technologies to the marketplace.
This report evaluates the energy industry in two subclusters: (1) fossil fuels and (2) cleantech. With 2,850 energy
workers in approximately 330 companies in 2013, the Denver South region 2 continues to expand its energy
industry. The fossil fuels subcluster includes companies involved in the extraction of naturally occurring fuels used
to produce energy as well as the generation, transmission, and distribution of energy resources. The cleantech
subcluster includes companies developing and delivering products and technologies across solar, wind, biomass,
and sustainable transportation sectors that improve operational performance, efficiency, or productivity, while
reducing energy costs and energy consumption. It is often difficult to distinguish how an organization’s operations
are divided between fossil fuels and cleantech components. For example, research is a critical component of all
energy industries, from oil and gas to solar and wind energy. So that the two subclusters may be analyzed
independently, all energy research entities are included in the cleantech subcluster while all energy transmission
and distribution activities are included in the fossil fuels subcluster even though a portion of the energy may be
coming from renewable resources.
CLEANTECH OVERVIEW
The Denver South region is an ideal location for cleantech companies to grow and thrive. Notable company
announcements in 2013 included:

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. opened an office in Greenwood Village in 2013. The
interdisciplinary environmental services company plans to hire additional staff to support Colorado’s Voluntary
Cleanup Program, the company’s complex site investigations, and remediation at federal facilities.

Cool Planet Energy Systems moved its headquarters from California to Greenwood Village and plans to build
a manufacturing facility in Metro Denver that will make the equipment and materials used in its smaller plants
throughout the United States. The company could generate nearly 400 jobs over the next three years, paying
an average of $170,000 for executive positions and $58,000 for manufacturing jobs. The company cited Metro
Denver’s available talent and the ability to recruit new, highly skilled staff to the region as key factors in its
location decision.

Englewood-based Gevo Inc. received a milestone patent toward the foundational methods for producing lowcost isobutanol. The patent strengthens the company’s intellectual property position and protects Gevo’s
strategy of converting existing ethanol plants into biorefineries to make isobutanol.
CLEANTECH ECONOMIC PROFILE
The cleantech subcluster includes companies that produce and conserve energy using wind, solar, biomass, fuel
cells, hydroelectric resources, and green transportation technologies. Companies that manufacture renewable
energy equipment, storage, and power transformers, and businesses that provide engineering and other support
services are also included. The subcluster includes energy research companies that provide laboratory testing,
scientific and technical consulting services, and institutional research related to the environment, natural
resources, and energy. The cleantech subcluster consists of 29, six-digit North American Industry Classification
System (NAICS) codes.
1
The nine-county Metro Denver and Northern Colorado region consists of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas,
Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld Counties.
2
The Denver South region consists of zip codes 80111, 80112, 80124, 80126, 80129, 80130, 80134, and 80237.
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile
Direct Employment, 2013
Number of Direct Companies, 2013
One-Year Direct Employment Growth, 2012-2013
Five-Year Direct Employment Growth, 2008-2013
Avg. Annual Direct Employment Growth, 2008-2013
Direct Employment Concentration
Denver South
1,410
120
16.1%
51.1%
8.6%
0.6%
Nine-County Region
18,880
1,430
0.4%
22.1%
4.1%
1.0%
United States
777,270
58,940
0.5%
13.1%
2.5%
0.5%
Sources: Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. Marketplace database, July-Sept. 2007-2010; Market Analysis Profile, 2011-2013; Development Research
Partners.
Cleantech Employment



The cleantech subcluster directly employed approximately 1,410 people in the Denver South region in 2013.
The region’s cleantech employment increased 51.1 percent between 2008 and 2013, compared with a 22.1
percent and a 13.1 percent increase in the nine-county region and nationwide, respectively.
More than two-thirds of the region’s cleantech employees provided energy research, environmental
consulting, and air, water, and solid waste managements services.
Cleantech Companies



Approximately 120 cleantech companies operated in the Denver South region in 2013.
Seventy-five percent of the region’s companies employed fewer than 10 people, while 0.8 percent employed
more than 250 people.
Roughly 66 percent of the region’s cleantech companies provided environmental, energy conservation, and
scientific consulting and earth science services.
CLEANTECH WORKFORCE PROFILE
Cleantech Workforce | The nine-county region’s cleantech industry employs 18,880 people and includes a large
pool of talented, well-educated, and highly skilled workers. The age distribution of workers in the cleantech
subcluster is similar to the age distribution across all industries. However, the cleantech subcluster has a larger
share of employees that are between the ages of 35 and 54 years old, compared with the age distribution of all
industries across the nine-county region.
Metro Denver and Northern Colorado's Distribution of
Employment by Age
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
16-24
25-34
35-44
Cleantech
45-54
All Industries
55-64
65+
Source: Provided by Arapahoe/Douglas Works! QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self Employed, &
Extended Proprietors - EMSI 2013.3 Class of Worker.
The cleantech workforce supply consists of four
main components: those currently working in the
industry; those doing a similar type of job in some
other industry; the unemployed; and those
currently in the education pipeline. The Metro
Denver and Northern Colorado Cleantech
Occupation Profile below includes the 10 largest
cleantech occupations in the nine-county region.
For these 10 largest occupations, the chart
details the total number of workers employed in
that occupation across all industries, the number
of available applicants that would like to be
working in that occupation, and the number of
recent graduates that are qualified for that
occupation.
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile
Metro Denver and Northern Colorado Cleantech Occupation Profile
10 Largest Cleantech Occupations in Metro Denver and Northern
Total Working
Number of Available
Colorado
Across All Industries
Applicants (2013)
(2013)
1. Electricians
10,334
703
2. Business operations specialists, all other
30,744
1,362
3. Engineers, including computer hardware, electrical, electronic,
environ., health & safety, industrial, materials, mechanical, & all
other
31,959
2,019
4. Secretaries & admin. assistants, except legal, medical, & executive
47,771
1,127
5. Plumbers, pipefitters, & steamfitters
6,093
125
6. Management analysts
18,466
564
7. Physical scientists
9,420
505
8. General & operations managers
32,144
3,110
9. Construction laborers
18,594
2,691
10. Science technicians
5,900
578
Number of
Graduates
(2012)
278
116
3,168
54
86
5,695
1,135
5,940
7
750
Notes: The number of available applicants is a point-in-time measurement of the number of people who have registered in Colorado’s workforce development system’s statewide database,
Connecting Colorado, as being able and available to work in a particular occupation. Results should be interpreted with caution since registration in Connecting Colorado is self-reported. In
addition, the skills rubric may assign up to four occupation codes for each registrant. Therefore, the number of available applicants could be inflated.
Source: Provided by Arapahoe/Douglas Works!; QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self Employed, & Extended Proprietors - EMSI 2013.3 Class of Worker.
Wages | The 2012 average annual salary for cleantech employees was $79,810 in the nine-county region,
compared with the national average of $74,480. The nine-county region’s cleantech payroll exceeded $1.5 billion
in 2012. The median, average, and percentile annual salaries for the 10 largest occupations in the cleantech
subcluster are included in the following chart.
Metro Denver and Northern Colorado Cleantech Salary Profile, 2013
10 Largest Cleantech Occupations in Metro
Median
10th
25th
Average
Denver and Northern Colorado
Salary
Percentile
Percentile
Salary
Salary
Salary
1. Electricians
$47,341
$28,101
$34,715
$47,195
2. Business operations specialists, all other
$66,269
$33,862
$46,800
$71,240
3. Engineers, including computer hardware,
electrical, electronic, environ., health &
safety, industrial, materials, mechanical, &
all other
$89,107
$56,784
$70,096
$92,643
4. Secretaries & admin. assistants, except
legal, medical, & executive
$35,630
$23,234
$28,787
$36,192
5. Plumbers, pipefitters, & steamfitters
$45,490
$28,870
$34,050
$45,406
6. Management analysts
$65,104
$42,266
$54,267
$66,747
7. Physical scientists
$88,026
$53,768
$69,202
$91,499
8. General & operations managers
$105,768
$54,475
$72,654
$123,968
9. Construction laborers
$29,869
$22,152
$26,333
$30,285
10. Science technicians
$45,677
$32,656
$37,690
$48,547
75th
Percentile
Salary
$58,074
$89,086
90th
Percentile
Salary
$68,182
$114,421
$111,342
$135,512
$43,389
$54,933
$79,622
$112,549
$158,517
$33,696
$57,512
$51,043
$64,251
$93,330
$133,266
$230,235
$38,688
$69,742
Source: Provided by Arapahoe/Douglas Works!; QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self Employed, & Extended Proprietors - EMSI 2013.3 Class of Worker.
Education and Training | The higher education system in Colorado provides an excellent support system for
businesses in the region. There are 28 public institutions of higher education in Colorado, of which seven fouryear and six two-year public institutions offering comprehensive curricula are located in the nine-county region. In
addition, there are over 100 private and religious accredited institutions and nearly 340 private occupational and
technical schools offering courses in dozens of program areas throughout the state. Although not exhaustive, a
list of the major accredited educational institutions with the greatest number of graduates for each of the 10
largest cleantech occupations in the nine-county region are included below. A directory of all higher education
institutions with corresponding web sites may be accessed via http://highered.colorado.gov.






Colorado State University
www.colostate.edu
Colorado State University Global Campus
www.colostate.edu
Ecotech Institute
www.ecotechinstitute.com
Emily Griffith Technical College
www.emilygriffith.edu
Jones International University
www.jiu.edu
Metropolitan State University of Denver
www.msudenver.edu





Regis University
www.regis.edu
Red Rocks Community College
www.rrcc.edu
University of Colorado Boulder
www.colorado.edu
University of Colorado Denver
www.ucdenver.edu
University of Denver
www.du.edu
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile
Major Cleantech Energy Companies




ARCADIS
www.arcadis.com
Chicago Bridge & Iron Company
www.cbi.com
Cool Planet Energy Systems
www.coolplanet.com
Community Power Corp.
www.gocpc.com
www.gepower.com




GE Energy
www.ge-energy.com
Gevo Inc.
www.gevo.com
SolarCity
www.solarcity.com
URS Corporation
www.urscorp.com

FOSSIL FUELS OVERVIEW
Colorado offers a rich complement of natural resources, including fossil fuel-rich basins and significant quantities
of coal, crude oil, and natural gas. While many fossil fuel companies conduct business operations from the Metro
Denver region, the majority of the drilling is concentrated along the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains.
Similarly, the Denver South region’s highly educated, cutting-edge corporate workforce grows and expands fossil
fuels companies. Key company announcements in 2013 included:

Lone Tree-based Innospec Inc. acquired Oklahoma City-based Bachman Services Inc. Bachman is a
supplier of chemicals and services to the oil and gas industry and the acquisition expanded Innospec’s
oilfield chemicals services offerings.

Forbes recognized Innospec Inc. on its 2013 list of the 100 best small public companies in America. The
annual ranking looks at return on equity, earnings growth, and sales growth. The company ranked 67th
among the 100 best companies.

Douglas County-based Westmoreland Coal Co. will purchase Canada-based Sherritt International Corp.
After regulatory approval, the $435 million deal will double the company’s coal production and
Westmoreland will be the sixth largest North American coal producer. The acquisition expands the
company’s active carbon and char activities and represents value-added product streams.
FOSSIL FUELS ECONOMIC PROFILE
The fossil fuels subcluster includes companies that extract naturally occurring mineral liquids, gases, and solids
used to produce energy. The fossil fuels subcluster also includes mining machinery manufacturers and
companies that provide mining, exploration, and related support services. Companies providing generation,
transmission, and distribution of energy resources are also included. The fossil fuels subcluster consists of 29,
six-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.
Direct Employment, 2013
Number of Direct Companies, 2013
One-Year Direct Employment Growth, 2012-2013
Five-Year Direct Employment Growth, 2008-2013
Avg. Annual Direct Employment Growth, 2008-2013
Direct Employment Concentration
Denver South
1,440
200
2.5%
8.1%
1.6%
0.6%
Nine-County Region
28,060
1,480
6.2%
27.0%
4.9%
1.5%
United States
1,839,710
69,480
3.3%
12.7%
2.4%
1.2%
Sources: Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. Marketplace database, July-Sept. 2007-2010; Market Analysis Profile, 2011-2013; Development Research
Partners.
Fossil Fuels Employment



In 2013, the fossil fuels subcluster directly employed approximately 1,440 people in the Denver South region.
Drilling and mining activity tends to be concentrated in the Rocky Mountains, Weld County, and along the
Western Slope, while fuel refineries and headquarters facilities are located throughout the Front Range.
Approximately 89 percent of the employment in the fossil fuels subcluster was concentrated in Arapahoe (78
percent) and Denver (11 percent) Counties.
More than 55 percent of the region’s fossil fuels employees worked in petroleum and natural gas exploration
and extraction support activites for oil and gas operations.
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile
Fossil Fuels Companies



Roughly 200 fossil fuels companies operated in the Denver South region in 2013.
More than 67 percent of the region’s fossil fuels companies employed fewer than 10 people.
Approximately 61 percent of the region’s fossil fuels companies provided petroleum and natural gas
exploration and extraction services and support activities for oil and gas operations.
Almost 88 percent of the region’s fossil fuel companies were located in Arapahoe (68 percent) and Douglas
(20 percent) Counties.

FOSSIL FUELS WORKFORCE PROFILE
Fossil Fuels Workforce | The nine-county region’s fossil fuels industry employs 28,060 people and includes a
large pool of talented, well-educated, and highly skilled workers. Compared with the age distribution across all
industries, the fossil fuels subcluster has a larger
share of employees that are older than 45 years
Metro Denver and Northern Colorado's Distribution of
Employment by Age
old and fewer workers under the age of 24.
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
16-24
25-34
35-44
Fossil Fuels
45-54
All Industries
55-64
65+
Source: Provided by Arapahoe/Douglas Works! QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self Employed, &
Extended Proprietors - EMSI 2013.3 Class of Worker.
The fossil fuels workforce supply consists of four
main components: those currently working in the
industry; those doing a similar type of job in some
other industry; the unemployed; and those
currently in the education pipeline. The Metro
Denver and Northern Colorado Fossil Fuels
Occupation Profile below includes the 10 largest
fossil fuels occupations in the region. For these
10 largest occupations, the chart details the total
number of workers employed in that occupation
across all industries, the number of available
applicants that would like to be working in that
occupation, and the number of recent graduates
that are qualified for that occupation.
Metro Denver and Northern Colorado Fossil Fuels Occupation Profile
10 Largest Fossil Fuels Occupations in Metro Denver and Northern
Total Working Number of Available
Colorado
Across All
Applicants (2013)
Industries (2013)
1. Civil engineers
6,270
301
2. Managers, all other
24,755
2,849
3. First-line supervisors of construction trades & extraction workers
12,869
820
4. General & operations managers
32,144
3,110
5. Property, real estate, & community association managers
19,844
584
6. Wellhead pumpers
2,493
20
7. Secretaries & administrative assistants, except legal, medical, &
executive
47,771
1,127
8. Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents
24,237
37
9. Business operations specialists, all other
30,744
1,362
10. Geoscientists, except hydrologists & geographers
2,548
84
Number of
Graduates
(2012)
367
6,385
432
5,940
11
0
54
0
116
151
Notes: The number of available applicants is a point-in-time measurement of the number of people who have registered in Colorado’s workforce development system’s statewide database,
Connecting Colorado, as being able and available to work in a particular occupation. Results should be interpreted with caution since registration in Connecting Colorado is self-reported. In
addition, the skills rubric may assign up to four occupation codes for each registrant. Therefore, the number of available applicants could be inflated.
Source: Provided by Arapahoe/Douglas Works!; QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self Employed, & Extended Proprietors - EMSI 2013.3 Class of Worker.
Wages | Wages in the fossil fuels subcluster are among the highest across all industry clusters. The 2012
average annual salary for a fossil fuels worker in the nine-county region was $111,670, compared with the
national average of $94,590. The nine-county region’s fossil fuels payroll reached nearly $3 billion in 2012. The
median, average, and percentile annual salaries for the 10 largest occupations in the fossil fuels subcluster are
included in the following chart.
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile
Metro Denver and Northern Colorado Fossil Fuels Salary Profile, 2013
10 Largest Fossil Fuels Occupations in Metro
Median
10th
25th
Average
Denver and Northern Colorado
Salary
Percentile
Percentile
Salary
Salary
Salary
1. Civil engineers
$78,603
$53,997
$64,022
$80,579
2. Managers, all other
$49,733
$36,130
$42,744
$50,274
3. First-line supervisors of construction trades &
extraction workers
$49,317
$34,237
$41,080
$50,565
4. General & operations managers
$105,768
$54,475
$72,654
$123,968
5. Property, real estate, & community
association managers
$41,496
$33,301
$37,898
$42,286
6. Wellhead pumpers
$43,763
$37,378
$41,392
$43,098
7. Secretaries & administrative assistants,
except legal, medical, & executive
$35,630
$23,234
$28,787
$36,192
8. Securities, commodities, & financial services
sales agents
$54,766
$37,378
$44,158
$60,653
9. Business operations specialists, all other
$66,269
$33,862
$46,800
$71,240
10. Geoscientists, except hydrologists &
geographers
$98,613
$62,546
$80,101
$105,248
75th
Percentile
Salary
$95,888
$57,720
90th
Percentile
Salary
$110,926
$65,270
$58,968
$158,517
$69,472
$230,235
$48,069
$46,571
$53,186
$49,483
$43,389
$51,043
$72,342
$89,086
$94,016
$114,421
$126,069
$153,650
Source: Provided by Arapahoe/Douglas Works!; QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self Employed, & Extended Proprietors - EMSI 2013.3 Class of Worker.
Education and Training | The higher education system in the nine-county region provides an excellent support
system for businesses in the region. There are 28 public institutions of higher education in Colorado, of which
seven four-year and six two-year public institutions offering comprehensive curricula are located in the ninecounty region. In addition, there are over 100 private and religious accredited institutions and nearly 340 private
occupational and technical schools offering courses in dozens of program areas throughout the state. Although
not exhaustive, a list of the major accredited educational institutions with the greatest number of graduates for
each of the 10 largest fossil fuels occupations in the nine-county region are included below. A directory of all
higher education institutions with corresponding web sites may be accessed via http://highered.colorado.gov.





Colorado State University
www.colostate.edu
Colorado State University Global Campus
www.colostate.edu
Jones International University
www.jiu.edu
Metropolitan State University of Denver
www.msudenver.edu
Red Rocks Community College
www.rrcc.edu





Regis University
www.regis.edu
University of Colorado Boulder
www.colorado.edu
University of Colorado Denver
www.ucdenver.edu
University of Northern Colorado
www.unco.edu
University of Denver
www.du.edu
Major Fossil Fuels Companies



Basic Energy Services
www.basicenergyservices.com
Innospec Inc.
www.innospecinc.com
Schlumberger Ltd.
www.slb.com


Shell Exploration and Production
www.shell.com
Westmoreland Coal Company
www.westmoreland.com
KEY REASONS FOR ENERGY COMPANIES TO LOCATE IN THE DENVER SOUTH REGION AND THE
SURROUNDING NINE-COUNTY REGION
Colorado is a top-10 fossil fuels location offering access to one of the most energy rich regions in the
United States.

Coal - Colorado produced more than 28 million short tons of coal, or 2.8 percent of the nationwide supply
in 2012. Colorado was the ninth-most productive coal mining state and borders Wyoming, the nation’s
largest producer of coal. (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2013)

Natural Gas - Colorado ranked sixth among natural-gas producing states with 1.7 trillion cubic feet of
marketed production in 2012, accounting for 7.2 percent of U.S. natural gas production. From 2008 to
2012, marketed natural gas production rose 23 percent in Colorado. The state also had the nation’s
largest reserve of coalbed methane and accounts for about one-third of Colorado’s natural gas
production. (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2013)
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile

The Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) is a 1,679-mile natural gas pipeline system that extends from the
Piceance Basin in Colorado to Clarington, Ohio. REX became fully operational in 2009 with a capacity of
1.8 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas and is the largest interstate gas pipeline constructed in more
than 20 years. The 42-inch diameter pipeline delivers enough natural gas to service about four million
homes. (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2013; Kinder Morgan, 2013;
Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, 2013)

Oil - Colorado produced 49 million barrels of crude oil in 2012 and ranked as the 9th-largest crude oil
producer in the nation. The state also has significant oil shale rock deposits which can be converted into
crude oil. In fact, Colorado had the 9th-highest proven oil reserves in the nation totaling, 423 million
barrels in 2011. Colorado’s oil shale deposits are concentrated in Western Colorado’s Piceance Basin,
which holds an estimated 1.5 trillion barrels of recoverable oil reserves—as much oil as the entire world’s
proven oil reserve. (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2013; U.S. Geological
Survey, 2013)

Nine of the nation’s 100 largest natural gas fields and two of the 100 largest oil fields are located in
Colorado. (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2013)
Colorado is a top-10 cleantech location with newly enacted requirements for renewable energy generation
and access to clean energy resources.

Wind - Colorado ranked 10th in the nation for total installed wind power capacity in 2013 and has the
13th-highest wind resource potential of the states. In fact, Colorado’s wind resource potential could
provide nearly 24 times the state’s current electricity needs. (American Wind Energy Association, 2013)

Colorado ranked sixth in wind electricity generation in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of
Energy’s 2012 Wind Technologies Market Report. Colorado installed 496 megawatts (MW) of new wind
power capacity, with the capacity for more than 2,300 MW of wind power. Wind energy generation
accounted for 11.3 percent of Colorado’s in-state energy generation and accounted for 4,000 to 5,000
jobs in 2012. (U.S. Department of Energy, 2013)

Biomass - Biomass is a growing proportion of the state’s renewable energy portfolio and accounts for 1
percent of the state’s renewable energy generation. Roughly 25 percent of the state’s 24 million acres of
forestland have a high or moderate potential for future biomass production and a number of projects are
either in the planning stages or underway in the state to use forest biomass to generate electricity. (U.S.
Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2013)

Colorado ranked third for its advanced biofuels industry in 2013, according to Environmental
Entrepreneurs. Rankings were compiled based on the number of companies located in each state.
Colorado had six advanced biofuels companies including Crimson Renewable Energy, Gevo Inc., OPX
Biotechnologies, Purevision Technology Inc., Sundrop Fuels, and Zeachem. (Environmental
Entrepreneurs, 2013)

Solar - Colorado ranked eighth nationally for solar power generated per capita, according to a recent
report by the Colorado Solar Industries Association and Environment Colorado Research & Policy Center.
In Colorado, solar power systems can generate 270 MW of electricity or 52 watts per person. The state’s
solar capacity grew by nearly 15 percent in 2012. (Colorado Solar Industries Association, 2013;
Environment Colorado Research & Policy Center, 2013)

Colorado’s solar installation costs are among the lowest in the nation, according to a report by the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. According to the report, Colorado had
the lowest installed price in 2012 of $3.70 per watt for systems between 10 kilowatts (kW) and 100 kW
and the state also had the lowest price of $3.20 per watt for large, utility-scale systems. The state had the
second-lowest price of $4.10 per watt for systems less than 10 kW. The national average price of
installations in the U.S. in 2012 was $5.30 per watt. (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2013)

Colorado ranked eighth in the nation for the amount of solar power systems installed in the state in the
first quarter of 2013, according to Solar Energy Industries Association’s U.S. Solar Market Insight. The
state also ranked fifth overall in the amount of energy existing solar power systems operating in Colorado
can produce. (Solar Energy Industries Association, 2013)

Water - Colorado’s extensive water resources offer significant hydroelectric power opportunities. Even
though nearly one-third of the state’s renewable energy is generated using hydroelectric resources, a
significant share are undeveloped. In fact, more than 95 potential hydropower and pumped storage
facilities exist across the state with an estimated capacity of 3,340 MW. (U.S. Department of Energy,
Energy Information Administration, 2013; National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2013
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile

Clean Edge Inc. ranked Metro Denver eighth on its 2013 “U.S. Metro Clean Tech Leadership Index,”
which scored the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas in four categories including green buildings,
advanced transportation, clean electricity and carbon management, and cleantech investment,
innovation, and workforce. Denver was the only non-coastal metro area in the top 10 and was recognized
for its high concentration of green buildings, hybrid electric vehicle use, and strong presence of financial,
human, and intellectual capital. (Clean Edge, Inc., 2013)

Denver ranked as the fourth “greenest” city, according to Travel + Leisure magazine’s 2012 “America’s
Greenest Cities.” As part of the annual America’s Favorite Cities survey, readers ranked 35 metro areas
on cleanliness, pedestrian-friendliness and public transit, and accessibility to public parks. Denver
received accolades for its athletic residents and B-Cycle program. (Travel + Leisure, 2013)
The region is at the forefront of energy development, with a location that offers:
1. The ability to recruit and retain senior management and scientific talent

Many companies choose locations because of the available workforce. With nearly half of the nine-county
region’s 3.5 million residents under the age of 35, employers can draw from a large, young, highly
educated, and productive workforce. Of the region’s adult population, 40.9 percent are college graduates
and 90.3 percent have graduated from high school. Further, the state has the nation’s second-most highly
educated workforce as measured by the percentage of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Educational Attainment of Metro Denver and
Northern Colorado's Population Age 25 and Older
3,000,000
Metro Denver and Northern Colorado's Labor
Force Projections by Age
Less than 9th Grade
4.3%
15.1%
2,500,000
5.4%
9th to 12th Grade, No
Diploma
2,000,000
20.0%
High School Graduate
(includes equivalency)
1,500,000
Some College, No
Degree
25.8%
1,000,000
Associate’s Degree
Bachelor’s Degree
21.7%
7.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey.
500,000
0
Graduate or
Professional Degree
2010
16-24
25-34
2020
35-44
45-54
2030
55-64
2040
65+
Source: Colorado Division of Local Government, State Demography Office.

The attractiveness of the region draws new residents through migration. The region’s population is
expected to grow 51.1 percent from 2010 to 2040, driving a 36.3 percent increase in the region’s labor
force over the same period. It is important to note the changing composition of the workforce supply as
the baby boomers begin to retire. This has serious implications for businesses whose employee pool
includes significant numbers of these workers.

Colorado ranked 13th in the nation for the number of science and engineering doctorate holders as a
percent of the workforce. (National Science Foundation, 2012)

Rigzone ranked Denver as the third-best city in the world for oil and gas industry careers in 2013.
Contributors compiled the rankings based on survey results of nearly 8,000 oil and gas professionals and
took into account the state of the industry and amenities available during non-working hours. Denver was
the only U.S. city in the top 10. (Rigzone, 2013)

Jones Lang LaSalle’s U.S. Energy Outlook 2013 named Denver as one of the top six U.S. cities for new
energy jobs. The nation’s top six cities are expected to create 3.5 million jobs in the energy sector through
2035 which is prompting energy companies to lease space in Denver at a rapid pace, particularly in the
Central Business District. (Jones Lang LaSalle, 2013)

Colorado ranked sixth in the nation for solar-related jobs and ranked fifth for the number of homes
powered by solar in 2012, according to the Solar Foundation. The state had 3,600 direct solar jobs—
primarily in installation and manufacturing—in 266 solar companies. (The Solar Foundation, 2013)

Denver ranked as the fifth-most highly-skilled intensive science, technology, engineering, and math
(STEM) economy in the nation, according to the Global Cities Initiative. The $10 million, five-year joint
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile
project between the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program and JPMorgan Chase aims to help
leaders of metropolitan areas strengthen their regional economies by becoming more competitive in the
global marketplace. Denver received accolades for its highly educated workforce and innovative
ecosystem. (The Brookings Institution, 2013)

The Colorado Academy for the Development of STEM-related Careers—a partnership between
Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado School of Mines, Community College of Denver, and
the Cherry Creek School District—is designed to position the state as a leader in scientific and technology
education. The overall program ensures Colorado students from kindergarten to graduate level receive
specialized training and certifications to connect targeted communities to job readiness and career
enhancement, coordinate with state Workforce Centers, and assist in job placement.
2. Proximity to energy-related higher education programs and research centers

Colorado ranked 10th in the number of science and engineering graduate students per 1,000 individuals
ages 25 to 34 years old in 2009. Universities such as Colorado School of Mines, the University of
Colorado Boulder, and Colorado State University (CSU) all offer competitive science and engineering
doctorate programs and research facilities. (National Science Foundation, 2012)

Colorado ranked 11th for research and development (R&D) expenditures per capita among academic
institutions in fiscal year 2011. Colorado’s strong entrepreneurial economy and substantial federal
investments in the state’s universities contributed to its high academic R&D spending of $242 per capita.
(National Science Foundation, 2013)

Colorado School of Mines in Golden is one of the few universities in the world to offer programs from
baccalaureate through doctorate levels in all key fields related to energy. These fields include geological
engineering, geophysical engineering, mining and earth systems engineering, petroleum engineering,
chemical engineering, mineral and energy economics, materials science, and others. (Colorado School of
Mines, 2013)

Education Corporation of America’s Ecotech Institute is the first and only college in the U.S. focused on
training students for careers in cleantech. The Institute offers seven two-year associate’s degree
programs in solar and wind energy technology, renewable energy technology, electrical engineering and
energy efficiency, power utility technology, business administration-sustainability, and the newest
program in facility management technology. Since its opening in 2010, more than 120 graduates from 48
states and Mexico were hired across Colorado and seven other states. More than 40 students graduated
in early 2013 and about 530 students are currently enrolled. (Ecotech Institute, 2013)

The Energy Fellows Institute, a Colorado Cleantech Industries Association program, is the nation’s first
program to educate experienced entrepreneurs and executives in the technology sectors of the advanced
energy industry. The program’s intersection of experienced entrepreneurs and executives with new
ventures and technologies create jobs and grow the advanced energy ecosystem. (Energy Fellows
Institute)

The Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion (CRSP) was established in 2008 as a joint research
center of the Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory. CRSP conducts basic and applied research that
will result in scientific and technological revolutions in solar energy conversion and has received $3.6
million in research funding since its inception. In 2013, CRSP and the Research Center for Advanced
Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo signed a five-year agreement to promote
advancements in solar research and technologies. CRSP has strategic relationships with other solar
research centers and programs including the Center for Advanced Solar Photophysics at Los Alamos
National Laboratory, the Research Corporation for Science Advancement Solar Scialog program, and
REMRSEC. (Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion, 2013)

CSU’s Natural Gas Initiative is an interdisciplinary group of scientists across its eight colleges offering
diverse expertise to focus on collaborative solutions for the responsible production of natural gas. The
Initiative hosts the annual Natural Gas Symposium, which offers opportunities to promote CSU’s
strengths in natural gas solutions and highlights potential research collaborations between researchers,
industry, and community members to explore the natural gas economy, its impacts in Colorado, and offer
solutions to energy development in the state. (Colorado State University, 2013)

The CSU Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory (EECL) is one of the largest and most influential
engines research programs in the nation and develops market-driven products in partnership with
industrial sponsors to reduce pollution in the atmosphere. The EECL is building an $18.5 million
expansion—slated for completion by early 2014—that will result in the Engines Lab reaching more than
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Denver South Economic Development Partnership Industry Cluster Profile
90,000 square feet and will bring 130 faculty spanning eight colleges together. The EECL will also be
home to the Center for the New Energy Economy, the Powerhouse Energy Institute, the Center for
Energy and Global Health, Industrial Assessment Center, Gas Technology Consortium, Advanced Biofuel
Lab, and the Electric Power Systems Lab. (Colorado State University, 2013)

The Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC) is the nation’s largest solar technology testing
facility focused on proprietary solar research and development, demonstration, testing, and validation of
solar thermal, photovoltaic (PV), and concentrated PV systems. The facility is located on a 74-acre venue
in Aurora and the site offers flat, graded topography, and excellent insolation conditions. In 2013,
SolarTAC was one of three winners in Intersolar’s Solar Projects in North America category, which
recognizes pioneering solar products and services. SolarTAC received accolades for its landmark PV
projects and world-class research and development, allowing independent proprietary and collaborative
research in one location.
3. Access to the research of a broad collection of federal laboratories and private R&D activities

Key federal offices located in the nine-county region include the National Center for Atmospheric
Research; the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; the U.S. Bureau of Land
Management; the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement; the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation; the U.S. Forest Service; the U.S. Department of Energy; the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency; the U.S. Geological Survey; and the Western Area Power Administration.

Firms with fossil fuel energy R&D programs include Anadarko Petroleum, BP America, Encana, Noble
Energy, Shell Exploration & Production, and Suncor Energy.
4. Business organizations and public policy programs designed to encourage industry growth.

The Colorado Energy Coalition, a consortium of leaders and stakeholders in Colorado’s diverse energy
industry, works to make Colorado an even more competitive place for all energy-related sectors to do
business and to market Colorado’s dynamic energy economy nationwide.

Launched in 2006, the Colorado Clean Energy Cluster (CCEC) is an economic development organization
that is dedicated to growing 1,650 clean energy jobs and aims to generate $325 million in economic
activity from clean energy by 2015 in Northern Colorado. The CCEC and its business partners support
more than 30 companies employing 3,000 people and plan to replicate their Northern Colorado success
with initiatives statewide. (The Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, 2013)

The CCEC’s initiatives include FortZED which focuses on the creation of downtown Fort Collins and
CSU’s main campus into a zero-energy district or a distinct geographic area that produces as much
energy as it uses; the International Cleantech Network which is a global network that provides global
access; information, and innovation to Colorado clean energy businesses and research institutions; and
the Supply Chain Initiative which aims to grow the Clean Energy supply chain in Colorado through the
identification of capable component suppliers and ensuring connections among customers and industry
resources. (The Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, 2013)

The Advanced Industries Accelerator Programs—House Bill 1001 (2013) and House Bill 1193 (2013)—
were created to promote growth and sustainability in Colorado’s key industries through public-private
partnerships, strong infrastructure, and early capital. House Bill 1001 (2013) provides advanced industries
such as aerospace, bioscience, electronics, information technology, advanced manufacturing,
engineering, and energy and natural resources with several million dollars a year for up to 10 years
(including $14.5 million in fiscal year 2013-14) for grants to create new high-skilled jobs, align educational
and training institutions to match workforce and industry needs, accelerate the commercialization of
technologies, and enable the state to compete effectively in a global market. A separate bill, House Bill
1193 (2013), launched a new five-year, $300,000 export program with the state’s international trade
division to help export products developed by advanced industries under the acceleration program.
Provided by:
Denver South Economic Development Partnership
304 Inverness Way South, Suite 315
Englewood, CO 80112
303-792-9447
www.denversouthedp.org
Prepared by:
Development Research Partners, Inc.
10184 West Belleview Ave, Ste 100
Littleton, Colorado 80127
303-991-0070
www.developmentresearch.net
March 2014
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