A former geologist for an oil and gas company, John Hickenlooper emerged as one of the industry’s most vocal Democratic supporters in his two terms as Colorado governor. He drank fracking fluid from Halliburton to prove its safety. He opposed tougher regulations and threatened to sue local governments that banned fracking. And he lauded the […]
renewable energy
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Platte River Power Authority must commit to 100% renewable energy. Period.
The Colorado Sun published a story on Aug. 19 with the headline “Colorado must cut half of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. It will lean on oil and gas to do it.” The story discussed why we need emissions reductions from the oil and gas sector in order to meet Colorado’s goal of a […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Larimer County coal-fired power plant will close 16 years early as Colorado speeds move toward renewable energy
Platte River Power Authority will shut down the coal-burning unit at its Rawhide power plant in 2030, 16 years ahead of schedule, to try to make good on promises to provide its customers with 100% carbon-free electricity. This leaves just a few large coal-fired electric plants in Colorado without retirement dates in the near future. […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado’s clean energy workers are hurting in these coronavirus times
Colorado’s clean energy workforce is massive, diverse and at the end of the fourth quarter of 2019 was more than 62,000 people strong. That’s according to a just-released report from the national, nonpartisan business group E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), which listed Denver and Boulder as home to about two-thirds of these jobs. We know Colorado’s clean […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, News
Most used wind turbine blades end up in landfills. Colorado is part of the push to make the industry greener.
STERLING — Look north from a crest of the Logan County landfill and the wind turbines on the horizon appear like tiny pinwheels slicing bitter February gusts into a renewable and ever-larger share of Colorado’s electric power. Now gaze downward, into the chasm gradually filling with a combination of loose dirt, garbage and plastic bags […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado’s climate future is now. Let’s confront the challenges and seize the opportunities.
Colorado is on the front lines of climate change with impacts that are already affecting our state’s economy, quality of life and natural beauty. This is why the legislature and governor have adopted science-based emissions targets — to align our state with the scale and pace of emissions reductions needed to mitigate the worst of […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: How to design markets for effective energy transition in Colorado
Colorado, like most parts of the world, is undergoing a significant transition in its energy system. Thanks to significant research and development efforts across the public and private sectors, the costs of using energy from wind, solar and natural gas are at record lows. Coal, which had long reined as an energy king prior to […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: In Colorado, conservative and pro-oil and gas communities support renewables, too
If you believe some politicians and media pundits, the way we produce energy in the United States is extremely controversial. To hear them tell it, some people are wedded to fossil fuels and other people only want renewables. The two sides are locked in vicious political combat and the idea of them ever working together […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: We need more elected officials who seek real climate solutions — not lawsuits
As the need to address climate change mounts, public officials are considering a wide range of responses. Most elected official are focusing on a dual track: stepping up efforts to develop cleaner-burning energy sources and creating incentives for manufacturers to innovate new green technologies so that all of us can use fuel more efficiently. This […]
Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News
Two more electric co-ops are trying to leave Tri-State Generation. They’ve asked the Colorado PUC for help
Two of the largest electric cooperatives in the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, frustrated in their negotiations with the power wholesaler, are asking the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to set reasonable fees for them to exit Tri-State. Two other co-ops have already negotiated exit fees — the Delta-Montrose Electric Association and the Kit Carson Electric […]