North Fork Valley Team Wins $200,000 DOE Community Power Accelerator Prize
Colorado Farm & Food Alliance leads effort to advance in the Department of Energy’s national community solar competition. Read the Daily Sentinel article here.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced this month that a North Fork Valley solar partnership is one of four teams nationally to win a $200,000 Community Power Accelerator Prize. The team now advances to the third and final round, competing for an additional $150,000 prize in this community solar competition sponsored by the DOE National Solar Energy Technologies Office.
The Colorado Farm & Food Alliance-led team will use the award for engineering and other studies at the Thistle Whistle Community Solar project near Hotchkiss, and to study the feasibility of a second installation at a former coal mine site near Paonia. Both locations are in Delta County, Colorado.
What the Award Will Fund
Partners in developing these projects include Colorado Farm & Food Alliance, Thistle Whistle Community Solar, Mirasol Agrivoltaics, and Switchback Restoration. The award advances at least two community solar projects, starting with the agrivoltaic array at Thistle Whistle Farm — pairing agricultural production with solar energy and delivering clean power to local farms and residents through the DMEA grid.
The second project is in early pre-development near Paonia, focused on mine-site remediation and climate harm reduction at a former coal mine, alongside an additional community-solar benefit.
“I am eager to see this project completed, to benefit my farm and to help provide energy cost savings to other local farms and households. The Community Power prize has been vital in helping to keep this project moving forward.”
Mark Waltermire — Owner, Thistle Whistle Farm
What Thistle Whistle Community Solar Will Do
“This recognition from the Department of Energy validates our vision for community-based rural renewables that support both our agricultural heritage and greater energy equity. These projects demonstrate how rural communities can lead the way in innovative clean energy solutions that preserve farmland, benefit residents and integrate with local livelihoods.”
Pete Kolbenschlag — Colorado Farm & Food Alliance, Prize Team Captain
What Comes Next
In Round 3, teams must demonstrate they have secured the funding necessary to develop their community solar projects. The team presented their vision at the Community Power PitchFest at DOE Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on March 6, 2025.
The Community Power Accelerator Prize is part of the American Made Challenge program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in 2021.
