It is undeniable that reliable, affordable and abundant energy is the foundation for a thriving economy and society, yet the threat of climate change has challenged our use of the cheapest and most affordable energy sources: fossil fuels. The search for renewable, cleaner energy sources to power our homes, our cars and our lives well into the future has proven to bring challenges and opportunity to the energy sector. Syrcuit Energy Solutions, a local Northern Colorado startup, has formed with the goal of providing the solutions needed to meet Colorado’s ambitious decarbonization standards while bringing opportunity and revenue to its local community.
“No matter how you feel about climate change or the energy transition, evidence that the movement is here to stay permeates Colorado,” shares Matt Lauer, Syrcuit’s Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder. “Society continues to demand a more carbon-free, renewable platform for their future. Our desire is to create sources of new clean renewable energy while helping residents in Northern Colorado to be a part of that change in a mutually beneficial and prosperous way.”
Syrcuit Energy Solutions was born in 2021 from the collaborations of Craig Rasmuson and Matt Lauer, former executives with deep ties to Weld County and the energy industry. From 2008 to 2020, Craig worked diligently to build Synergy, a Weld County based oil and gas company focused on developing strong relationships with partners, competitors, landowners and investors. The experience at Synergy left Craig with a great appreciation for the value of a team of individuals dedicated to investing in, improving and strengthening their community. After an eleven-year run that saw great success for Synergy, Craig and Matt decided to launch a new venture – pursuing cleaner, renewable energy sources through solar energy. In early 2022, Matt and Craig were able to officially fund and form Syrcuit – the unique spelling pays homage to the values, lessons and successes of Synergy.
“Our team loved what we were able to do at Synergy and felt that in many ways we wanted to do something similar in the clean energy space,” Craig, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Syrcuit, shares. “We built a company from the ground up, took it to a very healthy place and our team specialized in developing close, trusting relationships with investors and landowners that put us in a successful position to move into new opportunities with renewable energy.”
While Synergy’s focus may have been in the oil/gas field, Syrcuit’s new focus is on solar energy – utilizing the abundance of Colorado sunshine and open land to capitalize on the generation of cleaner, more renewable energy for residents in Northern Colorado and beyond. The rise of solar panels as a new source of energy over the last few years certainly isn’t news to anyone at this point, and Colorado’s geographical position has made it a hot spot for solar companies in recent years. Syrcuit’s eagerness to boost its Colorado market, however, isn’t about making a name for itself or earning top dollar. Rather, its focus has always been establishing mutually beneficial and impactful relationships with members of the community and creating value for its investors.
“From the very beginning, I saw how this team was devoted to the rights and the feelings of Colorado landowners first and foremost, and that has always been a huge selling point for me,” shares Melissa Truitt, Director of Land for Syrcuit. “No matter how big or small a property is, no matter how long it has been in your family – it is still your land, and we want to steward it well so that it can make a difference in your life and in the lives of generations to come for your family.”
Putting the needs of their community first has always been a mantra for Syrcuit. As Colorado natives and longtime residents of Weld County, Craig, Matt, Melissa and the entire Syrcuit team prioritize their reputation and the trust of their fellow community members through every step of their business model. “We understand who you are as an individual and as a landowner, and we respect you. We are a part of you,” Melissa shares passionately. “We are not coming in from out of state with no care or consideration for the cost of development to you. We are presenting you with an opportunity to keep yourself at the forefront of a project that will benefit your family and your community in a variety of ways.” Syrcuit negotiates with landowners and leases their land with their needs, concerns and returns at forefront of mind. The team understands agricultural lands and accommodates these activities within their development plans. Their history and network in the energy community has allowed Syrcuit to quickly flourish.
Syrcuit’s impressive mission and growth is not only beneficial for their landowners but also their investors, most of whom are also local members of the tight-knit Northern Colorado community.
By the end of 2023, Syrcuit had compiled just shy of 30,000 acres of land for potential solar projects, in addition to working with utility companies, universities and tech companies to provide power directly to consumers for data centers and other high energy intensity operations. For a company that endeavored into the renewable energy industry a mere two years ago, Syrcuit’s growth and portfolio is certainly impressive. The team credits this success as a testament to their deep roots in the community and their community-forward focus.
“Colorado utilities have committed to aggressive decarbonization goals that will necessitate investment in renewable energy installment,” Matt says. “With the need for renewable energy generation increasing, we know that communities will benefit from local companies developing these projects. Renewable energy facilities make big impacts on the surrounding community, as such, it is important that they are planned and constructed by someone with equal time and investment in the success of the community. We’re hoping to be the local Colorado energy group with the experience, care and trust of the community to do it right, better and first.”
As a landowner, a potential investor, business owner, or community member in Northern Colorado, you can rest assured that Syrcuit is committed to finding clean energy solutions for you, your family and your community for generations to come.
Syrcuit Numbers at a Glance
-
2021 - Syrcuit is founded
-
6 full-time employees; 4 independent directors
-
200+ years of combined energy experience
-
~35,000 acres of land acquired, to date
-
85% of shareholders live in Greeley, Colorado
-
20 - 4,500 acres are the typical leases Syrcuit signs with landowners
-
6 acres = generation of ~1 Megawatt of Energy
-
14 current projects submitted in Colorado; 10 more in the works for 2024
Meet Some of the Syrcuit Energy team
-
Craig Rasmuson (CEO & Founder)
-
Former COO of Synergy (2008-2020)
○ 30 years of combined experience in Operations, Management and Executive Leadership
○ Values how the team has transitioned from Synergy and continues to complement each other’s skills and abilities
-
-
Matt Lauer (COO & Co-Founder)
-
Greeley resident for 15 years with deep ties to Weld County
○ Background in Operational/Start-Up Finance
○ Over a decade of experience in Power/Energy Generation
-
-
Melissa Truitt (Director of Land)
-
Colorado native
-
20 years of oil & gas and solar land and regulatory experience
-
Secured over 100,000 acres of land for energy projects with over 1 GW of projects secured for solar
-
