This exciting event was held Jan 5, 2011 and included

• The launch of the Center for Smart Grid Advancement
• Tours of FortZED Jumpstart project sites
• Panel Discussions & Demonstrations

Videos of the event can be seen on the City of Fort Collins website.

The RDSI "jump start" of FortZED is providing Colorado clean energy companies opportunity to showcase technologies such as:

• solar photovoltaic panels
• advanced controls for onsite generators
• mixed-fuel generator controls
• microturbines
• plug-in hybrid vehicles
• advanced inverters
• measures to reduce electric energy demand

FortZED is a set of active projects and initiatives created by public-private partnerships that uses smart grid and renewable energy technologies to achieve local power generation and energy demand management. As conceived, FortZED, comprised of an area including downtown Fort Collins, Colorado and the campus of Colorado State University, would be the largest active net zero energy district in the world. Seeking to develop an initiative that is deployable and replicable nationally and internationally, FortZED is unique in that it is a community effort working to achieve net zero on an existing grid system.

FortZED will create an energy district that generates more energy than it uses on an annual basis, including both electric energy and thermal energy. The energy generation will come from renewable sources within a 50 mile radius of FortZED, renewable and conventional distributed sources within the district, and demand reduction and response within the district.

Fort ZED is already providing a strong competitive advantage for the many clean technology companies in Colorado participating in its signature “jump start” project- the Renewable and Distributed Systems Integration (RDSI) project. Fueled by $14 million in federal grant funds from the U.S. Department of Energy and matching contribution funds, the project provides a venue for clean energy companies to showcase their talents, from renewable energy and demand response technologies to grid communication strategies. FortZED is projected to create from 200 to 300 high paying primary jobs in the region, with hundreds of associated spin-off jobs.

More information about FortZED can be found on the FortZED website, www.fortzed.com.