About us
The mission of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) is to lead Colorado to an energy efficient and renewable energy economy through education, policy advancement, and economic development.
The Jefferson County chapter of CRES serves all of Jefferson County in Colorado, including Golden and the Denver suburbs. JCRES works to increase awareness of the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. We host meetings and events to help members and the public connect with the ideas and people that make renewable energy and energy efficiency happen.
CRES social media: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Google+ | YouTube | Instagram
Upcoming events
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Preparing For Disasters: Community Resilience Cooperatives
Jefferson Unitarian Church, 14350 W. 32nd Ave., 1 mi west of 32nd & Youngfield (Applewood), Golden, CO, USIn-person and live streaming (click embedded link)
A Community Resilience Cooperative offers a robust bottom-up meets top-down solution that sustainably and equitably reduces emissions pollution and increases resilience.
By deploying community-owned solar, battery storage with EV backup, efficiency upgrades, and a network of trusted resilience hubs, a community-led cooperative protects its vulnerable populations and keeps its businesses running. Adopting this self-sustaining, decentralized, clean-energy model can deliver immediate backup power, stabilize soaring utility costs, and build equitable, community-wide resilience faster than top-down utility-oriented or fickle policy-dependent approaches.For context, resilience is sorely lacking throughout Colorado but Boulder County ranks particularly low, facing severe outage risks, wildfire threats, and substantial looming rate hikes. In 2025 alone, local Xcel customers endured an average of 21 hours of outages, heavily impacting small businesses and medically vulnerable residents – and a nearly 6% rate hike!
James Gilbert is a retired electrical engineer who has previously presented (see here).
Please plan to stay for a reception with food, drinks, and conversations afterwards. This event is FREE, but you're welcome to put a donation in the basket.
Hybrid event, in-person and live streaming here:
https://boxcast.tv/view/preparing-for-distasters---building-community-resilience-cooperatives-r8viw5uqb8kcip206tesAmple free parking right outside. Wheelchair accessible, and we have assisted listening devices.
Our 7 PM start time is outside the busy traffic time, and getting there is easy. We're a mile west of the I-70 exit at Youngfield/32nd Ave (Applewood).
Our venue changed its name from Jefferson Unitarian Church to Common Flame.1 attendee
Year-End Party: Renew your Energy!
1712 Rimrock St, Golden, CO, USThe Denver and Jeffco chapters of CRES are joining for a Renewable Energy Year End Get-Together Party at Martin Voelker's home in Golden on Friday, Dec. 11, 6:00 - 10:00 pm.
Do NOT bring food as delectable finger foods will be on hand (see what I did here?) and we are also well stocked with beer and wine. Better bring a donation to cover some of the cost.
Your RSVP is important for planning the food.
Please bring your significant other (only two legged ones).If there's interest we'll do an open mike so people can briefly share what inspired them or gives them hope on matters of Renewable Energy, Efficiency or Climate Change - let's focus on successes!
Support CRES by renewing your membership or joining up at CRES-ENERGY.ORG. We're all volunteers and we can't do it without you.
Drink responsibly and arrange for a designated driver.
Next events (both on Tuesdays)
2026: Tuesday, Dec 1st: James Gilbert: Building Community Energy Resilience with a Cooperative.
2027: Tuesday, Jan 26. Mike Salisbury with the Colorado Energy Offices on Advances on Clean Transportation in Colorado. Mark your calendar!1 attendee
Clean Transportation in Colorado
Common Flame, 14350 W 32nd Ave, Golden, CO 80401, USA, Golden, CO, USIn-person and live streaming (click embedded link)
Colorado is a leader in clean transportation, rivaling and sometimes surpassing California. Still, many practical hurdles need to be taken as users' needs are broad and require different solutions.
Mike Salisbury, Director of Transportation Programs at the Colorado Energy Office, will give us both case studies and the big picture.Please plan to stay for a reception with food, drinks, and conversations afterwards. This event is FREE, but you're welcome to put a donation in the basket.
Hybrid event, in-person and live streaming here:
https://boxcast.tv/view/clean-transportation-in-colorado-zjwwfxltroofsji0lkxwAmple free parking right outside. Wheelchair accessible, and we have assisted listening devices.
Our 7 PM start time is outside the busy traffic time, and getting there is easy. We're a mile west of the I-70 exit at Youngfield/32nd Ave (Applewood).
Our venue changed its name from Jefferson Unitarian Church to Common Flame.1 attendee
Past events
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