Holy Cross Energy in Glenwood Springs delivered 100% clean energy to its 45,000-plus members in March, a renewable power landmark for the Colorado cooperative and a signal that the federal turn back toward fossil fuels has not impeded all climate change initiatives in the state.
It’s a new clean peak for Holy Cross, which announced last year that it achieved 96% solar and wind power for May 2025. In noting the 2026 carbon-neutral mark for March, Holy Cross Energy said the success was in part by the relatively mild temperatures that reduced the draw for some power sources. But another reason reflects a main point of renewables — Holy Cross has shares of major solar farms that took advantage of the same weather and produced at high levels.
The power cooperative says it is on track for its “100×30” goal of producing 100% of its power needs with clean sources by 2030. Holy Cross Energy said it has averaged 92% clean power delivered to members so far in 2026.
Holy Cross Energy will continue to pursue more renewable projects to round out its supply in months that see higher demand and lower power production, President and CEO Bryan Hannegan said Tuesday. Economics of future large projects, though, have changed for all utilities, he added.
“Increased demand for energy, permitting delays and costs, labor shortages, tariffs, insurance premiums, the end of the incentive tax credit, and supply chain issues and the war all have had a big impact on prices,” Hannegan said. “It wouldn’t be economic for us even if we had room.”
Power purchase contracts for large new projects are often double or triple what Holy Cross Energy locked in during its most recent building phase.
“Our focus has shifted away from larger, utility-scale renewable energy projects towards smaller, more flexible projects that are directly connected to the Holy Cross electric distribution system, particularly solar paired with battery storage,” Hannegan said in an email. “Holy Cross is also leaning heavily into programs and incentives that encourage our members to shift their electricity demands to times when renewable energy is abundant, helping us use more of the renewable energy our contracted projects are generating instead of selling it to the market.”