Colorado’s solar industry grew by 91 percent last year. Let’s just let that figure sink in. That number is according to the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association, or COSEIA, which is throwing the biggest business-to-business solar conference and expo in the state next month.

Solar Power Colorado, taking place Feb. 9 – 11 in Loveland, Colo., will highlight the state of Colorado’s solar industry and will include panel discussions focusing on the current challenges for the state, future technology and what the future will bring.

One of the major challenges, according to Neal Lurie, COSEIA’s executive director, will be dealing with the sudden blow that Black Hills Energy, a utility provider in the southern portion of the state, dealt the solar community when it unexpectedly cancelled its solar rebate program, which up and died in October, 2010.

“COSEIA is working aggressively as part of a stakeholder process with Black Hills Energy to restart its solar program as quickly as possible,” said Lurie. “We have also started a working group to identify the best options available to restart the solar program so we can bring these recommendations to Black Hills.”

And although other utilities in the state, like Xcel Energy, haven’t pulled the rug out from under the industry yet, Lurie and COSEIA are aware of the difficulty new projects face from start to finish, which will be a hot topic at the event.

“One of our major areas of focus is addressing the problem of excessive permit fees and complexity,” said Lurie. “Fees by state and local governments can cost thousands of dollars and can limit job creation. We’re working with legislators to pass the Fair Permit Act to help reduce fees, cut the red tape and promote economic development.”

But all news is not bad news for Colorado’s solar industry. The growth, for one, is a good sign, but the former governor, Bill Ritter, a champion of renewable energy in the state, was recently replaced by John Hickenlooper, the only gubernatorial candidate last year who didn’t refer to the green economy as mythical. Hickenlooper has said publically that he will continue in the direction Ritter was heading in terms of renewable support.

“We’re looking forward to partnering with Governor Hickenlooper to support clean energy development in the months and years ahead,” said Lurie. “We have already met with his staff and have ongoing communication with members of his team. We see tremendous opportunities to work toward our common goals to promote economic development, job creation and to reduce red tape.”

One of the possible solutions to some of the red tape has been a straight-forward feed-in-tariff program, one modeled after Ontario’s. Energy leaders met last week to discuss how the program works, and how/if it could be applied to Colorado’s system.

Lurie and COSEIA are taking it slowly, though, and neither endorsing adoption nor passing on the program until the jury is in.

“Some countries and regions have found feed-in tariffs to be an effective tool for increasing the use of renewable energy,” said Lurie. “Many citizens in Colorado are exploring the pros and cons of a feed-in tariff in our state. COSEIA is involved in these discussions and will continue to evaluate if this is the best approach for Colorado. Our goal is to promote a stable marketplace for businesses to compete, and view feed-in tariffs as one of several mechanisms that could be considered.”

The annual Solar Power Colorado, which is open to the public, will be held at Loveland’s Embassy Suits Conference Center, Feb. 9 – 11. To register for the event, please go to COSEIA’s website.

Pictured: Colorado’s former governor, Bill Ritter, a staunch supporter of renewable energy industries, speaking during a ribbon cutting ceremony in Fowler, Colo., last year.