Colorado Energy Office

What Colorado Energy Office does

The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) is a state-government agency within the executive branch of the State of Colorado, headquartered in Denver and led by Executive Director Will Toor under Governor Jared Polis. CEO was founded in 2007 and is statutorily charged with reducing greenhouse gas emissions and consumer energy costs by advancing clean energy, energy efficiency, and zero-emission vehicles across Colorado. The agency administers a portfolio of clean-energy, industrial-decarbonization, geothermal, building-electrification, EV-infrastructure, and local-government climate programs, including the Colorado Industrial Tax Credit Offering (CITCO, $168M pool, up to $8M per project), the Geothermal Energy Grant Program and Tax Credit Offering (GEGP/GETCO, $42.6M cumulative), the Home Energy Rebate Program (HEAR and HER, approximately $140M IRA allocation, up to $14,000 per household), the Heat Pump Tax Credit, the Local IMPACT Accelerator ($51.7M awarded across two rounds), the Clean Air Program ($25M), the Direct-Current Fast-Charging Plazas program, and the Automated Permit Processing for Solar (APPS) program.

CEO's business model is not commercial: it is funded by state appropriations (e.g., HB26-1410) and federal grants — chiefly a $129M EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grants implementation award (July 2024) and approximately $140M in Inflation Reduction Act Home Energy Rebate funding — and distributes these as pass-through grants, rebates, and refundable tax credits. CEO serves three primary segments: Colorado residents (income-qualified and market-rate households seeking rebates, tax credits, and weatherization services), industrial and manufacturing facilities (NAICS 31-33) seeking CITCO and Clean Air Program awards, and local and Tribal governments (and their cohorts) participating in the Local IMPACT Accelerator. Secondary segments include schools, universities, and hospitals installing thermal energy networks; clean energy technology developers and contractors; and other state agencies (CDPHE, CDOT, CDA, DNR, PUC) co-implementing Colorado's climate legislation.

CEO distributes its programs through a hybrid channel model: a direct-to-consumer self-service model via online portals (energyoffice.colorado.gov, CITCO application portal, HEAR/HER portal, Spanish-language program site, and AMI/dashboards); a statewide network of registered contractors who deliver HEAR/HER rebates and Heat Pump Tax Credits as upfront discounts; competitively awarded grant agreements with industrial applicants, schools, hospitals, and local governments; and program subawards to cohort lead jurisdictions and Tribal governments. Technology partners include CLEAResult (Scope 1 emissions assessments), Guidehouse (Help Center), and SolarAPP+/Symbium (automated solar permitting via the APPS program). CEO is not independently incorporated and has no equity ownership structure; it functions as a Colorado state agency with no publicly traded shares.

Name

Colorado Energy Office

Legal name

Colorado Energy Office

Website

https://energyoffice.colorado.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Government Clean Energy Programs

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Carbon Accounting & GHG Inventory Platforms (EUABAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Offsets & Carbon Removal Procurement Strategy (portfolio design, quality screening) (EUABAKAL), Green/Carbon-Neutral Retail Supply (RECs/GoOs Bundled) (EUAGABAE), Emissions Factors, LCA & Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Platforms (EUABAEAD), Audit-Ready Controls, Assurance & Compliance Workflow Tools (CSRD/SEC/ISSB) (EUABAEAG)

Keywords

• Clean energy programs
• Energy efficiency rebates
• Industrial tax credits
• Geothermal incentives
• Weatherization assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. State Government Appropriation: As a Colorado state agency under the Governor's office, CEO is funded through state appropriations (FY 2026-27 Long Appropriations Bill HB26-1410) and administers appropriated funds across its program portfolio. This is not commercial revenue but tax-payer funded public program funding.
2. Federal Grants (EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grants): CEO received a $129 million EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) implementation award in July 2024 plus an earlier planning grant in July 2023. CPRG is a $5 billion federal Inflation Reduction Act program providing planning and implementation grants to states, tribes, and territories for greenhouse gas reduction. CEO subawards these funds via the Local IMPACT Accelerator, Large Building Decarbonization Showcase, and Methane Emissions Monitoring/Reduction programs.
3. Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Home Energy Rebate Allocation: Colorado was allocated approximately $140 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for the Home Energy Rebate Program (HEAR and HER), of which about $45.6 million is for HEAR rebates. Rebates are administered to households through registered contractors who receive the funds and pass them on as upfront discounts. CEO does not retain these as revenue but distributes them as pass-through program funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) is a state government agency that administers clean energy, energy efficiency, and emissions reduction programs across Colorado. It distributes state appropriations and federal funding (Inflation Reduction Act, EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grants) through residential rebates (HEAR/HER), industrial refundable tax credits (CITCO), geothermal grants and tax credits (GEGP/GETCO), EV fast-charging grants, weatherization services for income-qualified households, local-government climate-action grants (Local IMPACT Accelerator), and workforce training programs. CEO operates online application portals, public dashboards, and a registered-contractor network that delivers rebates as upfront discounts to Colorado residents, businesses, schools, hospitals, local governments, and Tribal nations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Provides no-cost home energy improvements (insulation, air sealing, HVAC upgrades, appliance replacement) to help income-qualified Colorado households save money, reduce emissions, and increase home comfort and safety. CEO administers a portion of HEAR rebate funding through WAP.
• Colorado Home Energy Rebate Program (HEAR and HER) Two-track Inflation Reduction Act-funded rebate program: Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) for high-efficiency electric appliances and Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) for whole-home energy efficiency upgrades. Rebates total up to $14,000 per household based on income relative to county Area Median Income (AMI) and require installation by CEO-registered contractors.
• Colorado Heat Pump Tax Credit (HPTC) State tax credit offered as an upfront discount (at least 33%) on installation cost of qualified heat pumps installed through CEO-registered contractors. Eligible equipment includes air-source, ground-source, water-source, combined-source, heat pump water heaters, thermal energy networks, and variable refrigerant flow systems (all ENERGY STAR certified). 2026 tax credits range from $250 (water heaters) to $2,000 (ground/water/combined-source).
• Colorado Industrial Tax Credit Offering (CITCO) Refundable tax credits up to $8 million per eligible industrial project from a $168 million total program pool, available to industrial facilities (NAICS 31-33), carbon management developers, and as-a-service providers. Applications are semi-annual through 2032.
• Geothermal Energy Grant Program (GEGP) and Geothermal Energy Tax Credit Offering (GETCO) State grant and tax-credit program supporting geothermal heating, cooling, and electricity projects in Colorado. GETCO offers up to 30% Investment Tax Credit (up to 50% / $5M cap for select projects) plus $0.02/kWh Production Tax Credit from a $35M state ITC pool.
• Local IMPACT Accelerator Grant Program $50M+ grant program for Colorado local and Tribal governments to adopt emissions-reduction policies across buildings, land use, transportation, and waste sectors. Standard match is 5% (0% for low-income and Tribal governments).
• Clean Air Program (CAP) Grants $25 million grant pool with required match for industrial air-pollution emission-reduction equipment, including partnerships delivering ASHRAE Level-II comparable facility energy/emissions assessments via CLEAResult.
• Direct-Current Fast-Charging Plazas Program $5 million per round grant program for EV fast-charging infrastructure deployment across Colorado communities.
• Automated Permit Processing for Solar (APPS) Program Reimbursement grant program supporting Colorado jurisdictions to adopt SolarAPP+ and Symbium platforms for instant solar permitting; covers staff time, installer training, software adoption, and maintenance, with no ongoing platform licensing fees after installation.
• Heat Pump Employment Ready Certificate Program HVAC certificate program at Colorado Mesa University with mobile training trailer, administered via CEO with U.S. DOE grant funding for rural Western Slope communities.
• Charge Ahead Colorado Program offering point-of-sale EV rebates to Coloradans at participating dealerships, lowering the upfront cost of zero-emission vehicle purchases.
• Colorado Zero-Emission Vehicle Tax Credit State tax credit for the purchase or lease of qualifying zero-emission vehicles, available to Colorado residents.
• Building Performance Program Colorado's building performance standards program covering Benchmarking and Building Performance compliance for regulated properties.
• Community Access Enterprise State enterprise administering transportation electrification programs, including Charge Ahead Colorado and electric transportation programming dashboard, to expand community access to EVs and charging.

Quantifiable outcome

• $14,000 maximum Home Energy Rebate per household (HEAR), with 100% coverage for households below 80% AMI
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• CLEAResultcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCLEAResult partners with CEO to provide Scope 1 Emissions Assessments under the Clean Air Program's Technical Assistance Offering, including ASHRAE Level-II comparable facility energy audits for manufacturers, refineries, dairies, cement plants, and landfills.
• GuidehousecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGuidehouse operates the Help Center for the Colorado Home Energy Rebate Program (phone 866-336-0016 and [email protected]), supporting households and contractors with applications, eligibility, and reservations.
• SolarAPP+ FoundationcoreTechnology or IntegrationSolarAPP+ is one of two automated solar-permitting platforms supported by CEO's APPS grant program; jurisdictions including Denver and Bennett, CO have adopted it for instant rooftop solar permitting up to 38 kW.
• SymbiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationSymbium is the second automated permitting platform funded through CEO's APPS grant program, opened to Colorado in April 2024, supporting instant solar and energy-storage permits for all residence types with configurable compliance checks.
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDPHE co-implements Colorado's climate legislation (HB26-1289, HB26-1226) alongside CEO, with Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan coordinating environmental health and emissions-reduction enforcement.
• Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDOT partners with CEO on transportation and EV infrastructure legislation, including HB26-1065 Transit and Housing Investment Zones and SB26-021 Clean Fleet Enterprise; CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew co-implements CEO-supported bills.
• Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNR co-implements CEO's geothermal, orphaned-wells, and renewable energy programs; Executive Director Dan Gibbs coordinates with CEO on geothermal expansion, Good Neighbor Authority forestry work, and renewable development on disturbed lands (HB26-1268).
• Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDA, led by Commissioner Kate Greenberg, collaborates with CEO on agricultural conservation, climate-resilience, and conservation-easement tax-credit programs (HB26-1230).
• Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPUC partners with CEO on utility oversight and clean energy standards; HB26-1326 extends PUC operations through 2037 and aligns renewable standards with state climate goals.
• Gradient GeothermalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDenver-based geothermal company supporting a CEO- and ECMC-led study to evaluate repurposing orphaned oil and gas wells for geothermal energy and carbon capture and storage.
• Governor Jared Polis / Polis AdministrationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernor Polis and CEO jointly announce grant programs and sign climate legislation (HB26-1007 balcony solar, HB26-1051 microgrids, SB26-142 geothermal, HB26-1289 tax credits, SB26-002 energy affordability, etc.).
• Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDOR reduces tax liability and processes refunds for awardees of the Heat Pump Tax Credit, CITCO, and GETCO programs based on Tax Credit Certificates issued by CEO.
• Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECMC co-leads the orphaned-wells geothermal and carbon storage study with CEO, evaluating repurposing orphaned oil and gas wells as energy assets.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO): The membership association for state energy offices, including CEO. Not a direct peer, but the coordinating body through which CEO shares program design and federal funding best practices with other state energy offices.
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): DOE administers the federal IRA Home Energy Rebate Program (HEAR/HER) and provides training grants that CEO administers. A key funding and policy partner that shapes CEO's residential energy program offerings.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): EPA is the federal funding source for CEO's $129M CPRG implementation grant and related programs. While not a peer in the traditional sense, EPA's CPRG program design and reporting requirements directly shape CEO's program structure.

Direct peers

• California Energy Commission: California's state energy policy and funding agency, comparable to CEO in administering building standards, clean transportation, industrial decarbonization, and renewable programs. Operates similar statutory authority over state energy funds and inter-agency coordination.
• New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA): New York's state energy office administers similar residential rebate, heat pump, building decarbonization, and clean energy programs using federal IRA pass-through funding. Comparable in scale, program breadth, and integration of utility, building, and industrial decarbonization portfolios.
• Illinois Energy Office (DCEO): Illinois' state energy office administers residential energy efficiency, weatherization, and clean energy programs through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Comparable role in administering federal climate funding.
• Washington State Department of Commerce - Energy Programs: Washington's state energy office administers HEAR-equivalent home energy rebates, building electrification, and clean transportation programs under similar federal pass-through models. Comparable program structure and statutory authority.
• Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER): Massachusetts' state energy office runs comparable Mass Save residential efficiency, building decarbonization, and offshore wind programs with similar statutory authority over utility coordination and clean energy standards.
• Oregon Department of Energy: Oregon's state energy office administers residential energy rebates, building performance standards, and clean energy tax credits. Comparable structure of statewide programs funded by federal IRA allocations and state appropriations.
• Minnesota Department of Commerce - Energy Resources Division: Minnesota's state energy office runs similar residential rebate, weatherization, and industrial energy efficiency programs funded through federal pass-through allocations. Operates within a comparable state government structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Energy Office