The Federal Vacuum

Federal rollbacks of clean energy have created a downturn in the clean energy market following the surge of new money from the Inflation Reduction Act. The Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress started 2025 by clawing back grants and loans provided by the Department of Energy to EV projects, wind power projects, battery storage, low-carbon manufacturing, and university grants.

Despite these actions, states still have authority and resources to accelerate clean energy and climate technology, and to an extent regulate the energy industry. Colorado’s state authorities in particular, have taken actions to soften the impacts of federal rollbacks and attract new clean energy innovations and investment. As the director of the Colorado Energy Office, Will Toor, stated in an interview, the federal government can “put wind in our sails, or create headwinds… but it is ultimately state decision-making.” And Colorado has decided to streamline and accelerate clean energy projects, establishing itself as a leader in the space.

Projections indicate that Trump’s policies will raise the average household energy bill by $500 per year, even before the War in Iran began. This situation is expected to worsen as oil prices continue to rise. In response, Governor Polis has taken steps to sustain clean energy progress in the state and mitigate these increased energy costs. He is doing this by investing in clean energy projects and enhancing the transparency of tax incentives and rebates through the Colorado Energy Savings Tool.

Colorado didn’t just become a leader in clean energy because of the will of elected officials; it has been incubating all of the necessary pieces of a successful clean energy economy. It is an innovation hub and economic boondoggle because of the combination of university research, national laboratories, and geography, paired with policies that promote carbon reduction and new technology deployment.

The Front Range Research Ecosystem

Colorado’s Front Range (the foot of the Rockies along Colorado Springs, Denver, and Fort Collins) is home to three of the nation’s leading university research centers - The University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and the Colorado School of Mines. Each of these universities has unique strengths that are imperative for a successful energy transition, from fundamental research and new findings, to generating intellectual property that is crucial for economic growth from new clean energy technologies.

The Colorado School of Mines has long been admired for its work in the energy industry through top-ranked programs in geology, mining engineering, petroleum engineering, materials science, chemical engineering, and others. Students are prepared with hands-on courses and programs that partner with the neighboring National Renewable Energy Lab (now the National Lab of the Rockies) and unique degree programs. It has also led training in cross-disciplinary areas with the Payne Institute for Public Policy and a new Energy and Minerals Research Facility expected to open next year in partnership with the US Geological Survey.

Colorado State University is a leading agricultural school in the country, with deep expertise in ecology and carbon management technologies. This expertise translates into important research in clean fuels, carbon management, and the nexus of agriculture, energy, and water, which is evermore important due to the projected increase of energy and water use from AI data centers. CSU also leads research into methane-cutting technology, and was recently awarded a $326 million federal grant that has been among those that the Trump administration has clawed back.

To commercialize research, many students and faculty start companies. The University of Colorado is ranked number one for launching startup companies from university research, including in energy and climate. In 2025, CU generated $8 billion in national economic impact through launching 35 new companies from CU research IP, including a global corporation, Ball Aerospace. This is largely led by its unique Lab Venture Challenge program, which has raised over $350 million in capital to invest in startups.

Colorado’s research universities are creating a pathway for an economy focused on innovative climate solutions, supported by their student workforce talent pipeline. Students have numerous job opportunities at nearby national laboratories, innovative companies, or with the state and the federal center based in Denver. In fact, Colorado is home to over 30 federal laboratories along the Front Range and throughout the greater Rockies.

Federal laboratories that prioritize clean energy and climate research include the National Lab of the Rockies (formerly NREL), the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and the US Geological Survey. These labs provide tools and important insights that are critical for developing clean energy technology. Connecting them all together is CO-Labs, an organization connecting all of the labs in Colorado with each other, policymakers, academic institutions, and business partners. Organizations like these have helped Colorado stand out as an innovation epicenter that has attracted new startups in clean energy and climate technology.

Colorado has made a name for itself as a startup hub for clean energy and climate technology. It houses more than 80 startup companies along the Front Range. Colorado’s combination of talent, affordability, climate-forward state policies, and access to world-leading national laboratories and universities creates the perfect ecosystem for clean energy and climate technology. Companies like Peak Energy, Electra, and Elephant Energy are examples of companies working on energy storage, clean steel, and home electrification. The University of Colorado’s Venture Partners program has helped create start-ups like Mana Battery, Solid Power, and Forge Nano,

Colorado Climate Week

Colorado Climate Week took place at the beginning of April, organized by Colorado Cleantech and hosted across the Front Range from locations like CSU’s SPUR center, CU’s campus in Boulder, and various locations in Denver involving over 150 organizations. The event drew experts from across the academic, private, non-profit, and government sectors.

Climate week events took place in the backdrop as Colorado is facing the consequences from a record-warm winter and record-low snowpack, a La Niña pattern made more extreme by man-made climate change. Outdoor industries like ski resorts, river rafting and kayaking, boating, and even camping are feeling the effects of the warming climate in Colorado, especially. Many of Colorado’s ski resorts have closed earlier than expected due to rapidly melting snow and dangerous conditions, which also spells bad news for water levels in the spring and summer. Snowpack is below 50% of average for this time of year in the state.

Climate week served to highlight how Colorado is accelerating ahead of other states and the federal government on energy and climate innovation. Many of the week’s discussions were centered on the explosion of AI and the demand it will require for energy alongside an outdated grid. University of Colorado researcher, Kyri Baker, highlighted that using AI models could be used to improve grid efficiency, and that would result in 10% gains through software upgrades alone. However, data center growth also fuels high demand for energy as a representative from Xcel energy highlighted, stating that the company projected data centers could add another entire Denver metro area’s worth of load to the grid just this year. There is innovation on the horizon - semiconductors are becoming more and more efficient, clean energy is being used to power data centers (an example mentioned is the Google partnership to add 1900 MW of clean energy, including energy storage with Form Energy).

The plenary featured gubernatorial candidates, Senator Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser. Senator Bennet apologized for his vote to confirm Energy Secretary Chris Wright, adding that he had hoped it would prevent his worst instincts, like attacking NLR and NCAR, but it has proven the opposite. He also pitched his carbon cap and invest program. AG Weiser highlighted his over 64 lawsuits against the Trump administration, and argued that Colorado needs a governor with executive experience in the state to effectively continue defending it from attacks from the Trump administration.

Governor Jared Polis and Congressman Joe Neguse concluded the day with powerful closing remarks, reaffirming their commitment to protecting Colorado from federal budget cuts. They emphasized that the state’s most vital industries—agriculture and skiing—are directly threatened by climate change. Despite the Trump administration targeting Colorado’s research institutions, the speakers made it clear that the state will continue to lead through innovation and resilience.

Colorado Climate Week showcased not only the state's leadership in climate and energy innovation but also provided a platform for real-time testing of these initiatives. Key stakeholders, including researchers, founders, funders, advocates, and policymakers, convened in one space to collaborate and exchange ideas. With the infrastructure firmly in place and a shared sense of urgency among participants, Colorado is advancing its climate efforts, even as federal policymakers seem to be taking steps backward. This proactive approach exemplifies the state's commitment to developing a resilient and sustainable ecosystem for the future, setting an example for the rest of the country.