If Fort Collins Utilities is forced to make expensive upgrades to increase their capacity, it will cost us all in significantly increased electrical rates. One strategy to deal with this was the tiered rate system (a system was not received well by many residents). Another strategy is to encourage individual homeowners to move to alternative energy sources such as solar and city rebates of up to $5,250 are now available at http://fcgov.com/solar-rebates. In addition, you can take advantage of federal tax incentives of up to 30% of the installation costs.
The systems can still require a substantial up-front investment. Some companies absorb the solar installation costs and recoup their investment by charging for solar electricity usage. With all the options available, it's worth checking out. :)
