Solar Quest in the West — Roadblocks to Clean Power in Rural Colorado

noviembre 20, 2025

Rows of solar panels installed in a grassy field on the Western Slope, set beneath a bright blue sky with scattered clouds, highlight the region’s growing solar adoption.

Sunnyside LPEA 4 photo by Monica Vick

In a 4-part series, KOTO Rural News Reporter Mason Osgood explores solar energy hurdles in Western Colorado, from funding to policy to community values.

Check out the audio below, and find the full multimedia series on our Featured News page, including transcripts.

* This series is funded by the Colorado Media Project and the Spotlight: Colorado Fund.

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Solar Quest in the West — Roadblocks to Clean Power in Rural Colorado
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Página de inicio de un sitio web difuminada con un botón de reproducción morado superpuesto en el centro.

Solar Quest in the West series

  • Rows of solar panels are arranged outdoors on a sunny day in a testament to Colorado solar innovation, with grass and dirt beneath them and a partly cloudy sky overhead.

    Solar Quest in the West: Colorado’s Uncertain Solar Future

    noviembre 12, 2025

    Colorado’s push for 100% clean energy by 2040 is in jeopardy after the repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act. Billions in federal solar funding have vanished, and state utilities now face steep hurdles in meeting renewable energy targets.

  • A high-angle view of a mountain valley with rugged rock formations, forested slopes, autumn foliage, and a small mountain town in the distance captures the spirit of Solar Struggle and sustainable living in Colorado.

    Solar Quest in the West: The Struggle for Solar in Colorado’s Mountain Towns

    noviembre 13, 2025

    Ophir, Colorado set out to become 100% renewable, but local opposition derailed its solar microgrid. Across the state, solar projects are booming in conservative counties and stalling in liberal ones revealing an unexpected divide in Colorado’s clean energy future.

  • Rows of solar panels installed on a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky showcase growing solar adoption on the Western Slope, with mountains visible in the background.

    Solar Quest in the West: From Frogs to Solar Panels, and the Energy Future of the Western Slope

    noviembre 19, 2025

    Montrose County remains the only Colorado county with a solar moratorium, highlighting community fears and regulatory challenges. Local residents, officials, and utilities discuss the future of solar energy in Western Colorado.

  • Solar Quest in the West: One Man’s Step in A Renewable Future

    noviembre 20, 2025

    Tim Erdman’s Last Dollar Solar Garden above Telluride Airport demonstrates small-scale community solar, providing power to local nonprofits and the airport while highlighting the challenges and opportunities for renewable energy in Western Colorado.

Entradas recientes en el blog de KOTO

  • Una animada fiesta callejera en un pueblo de montaña, con gente vestida con coloridos trajes, incluidas plumas rosas y un traje naranja de animal. Los picos nevados y los edificios se alinean en la calle, y una pancarta cuelga en lo alto. El cielo está parcialmente nublado.

    Flamingos! Flock to the Spring Street Dance

    marzo 12, 2026

    The KOTO Spring Street Dance is Friday, April 3rd, featuring groovy live music from The Other Brothers, Colorado's Allman Brothers Tribute ft. members of Theivery Corporation, Circles Around the Sun, Steely Dead, JJ Gray & Mofro, and more.

    Volunteers, we need you! Click here to sign up for beer booth, security and schlepper shifts. Bring your friends!

  • Two people perform together at Wilkinson Public Library; one sings and plays guitar while the other stands beside them. Bookshelves, plants, and speakers set the scene for this intimate Tiny Circ Desk Concerts library concert.

    Wilkinson Public Library’s Tiny Circ Desk Concerts!

    febrero 12, 2026

    The best little library on the planet-- Wilkinson Public Library in Telluride, Colorado- teamed up with Augment Music Project & KOTO to present Tiny Circ Desk Concerts! These are short performances from musicians local to the Telluride & Southwest Colorado region, taking place at the 2nd floor circulation desk at the library. Check out the audio & videos from each performance here!

  • People dressed in colorful, sequined costumes pose on stage as the winners of the 2026 KOTO Lip Sync Contest, with one person kneeling in the middle wearing large decorative glasses and smiling.

    And the winners of the 2026 KOTO Lip Sync Contest are…

    febrero 4, 2026

    The 36th annual KOTO Lip Sync Contest has come & gone, and while we take inspiration and motivation for next year's contest, let's reminisce on the top three acts from 2026. Although the staff act is not allowed to compete, we are always proud of our staff & DJ's dedication to performance!

    Click through for videos of the 2026 Lip Sync Contest winners!