The newly reconstituted Colorado Energy Office will have to operate with far less money than it has received in the past few years, resulting in fewer dollars for renewable energy projects.

The energy office next year will operate with $3.3 million in state funding and $472,000 in federal support. That’s almost $700,000 less than the $4.4 million in federal and state funding the energy office received in 2008. It’s also much less than the $7.5 million it received in 2007 under Gov. Bill Ritter, a renewable energy proponent.

During Ritter’s years as governor, the energy office focused entirely on renewable energy. But now, under legislation signed into law by his predecessor, John Hickenlooper, the office will now broaden its mission to include fossil fuels initiatives.

Pete Maysmith, executive director of Colorado Conservation Voters, said he wished more funding existed for the energy office to incubate renewable energy projects.

Maysmith appeared resigned to the idea that no such dollars would be found, at least any time soon.

“Given that we’re in an era of constrained resources, I think the office is in a decent place from a budget perspective,” he