Feature Articles
Denver Mint Switching to Wind Power for
Electricity Needs
The federal facility will buy its electricity from the utility’s Windsource program, which will utilize the Cedar Point project currently under construction in Eastern Colorado for 2011 power generation.
2Sep2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
SmartGridCity Slammed at PUC Hearing
Both regular citizens and businesses took shots at Xcel Energy’s multimillion dollar Boulder-based SmartGridCity pilot at a PUC hearing yesterday. The ambitious program was cited for not having strong cost controls, according to filings by the commission staff and citizen watchdog groups.
1Sep2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
West Slope Miners Protest Coal Bill
“You might wonder why I got all the applause,” he said speaking to a crowd of hundreds. “It’s (because) I’m just one of the coal miners here. I’m one of the ones … afraid this bill is going to do away with my job.” Winey was one of several coal miners who spoke to members of the Colorado PUC yesterday in Grand Junction during a public input session on the fallout of the Clean Air, Clean Jobs Act.
31Aug2010 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
RES Americas Green Vehicle Push
Wins Plaudits
The recognition is for the company’s purchase of 58 fuel-efficient vehicles like the Ford Escape hybrid shown to be distributed among approximately six construction sites. The announcement comes on the heels of a rooftop solar installation at RES Americas’ Broomfield headquarters.
31Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Douglas County in Major Solar Power
Purchase Agreement
The County’s School District is teaming with Premier Power Renewable Energy Inc. and REgeneration Finance, LLC for development of a blanket PV development project for 31 different campus sites and an athletic stadium. When up and running, the combined facilities will generate more than 3.0 megawatts of solar electric power.
30Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Gov. Ritter Announces New Energy
Economic Grants
The Governor unveiled $2.2 million in New Energy Economic Development (NEED) grants to 23 recipients across Colorado for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, funding his office says will help create and retain jobs, strengthen local economies, and save money and energy.
26Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Ritter Announces Acceleration of Small Hydro Projects In Colorado
Surveys have found that Colorado has several hundred sites with a potential of 5 megawatts or less, with a combined generating capacity of more than 1,400 megawatts. The lengthy permitting process, however, has prevented many projects from moving forward.
25Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
National Perspective — U.S. Energy Use is Dropping and Shifting to Renewables
The research reveals that energy use is dropping at a pace that is faster than would be expected based on the slowing economy alone. What’s more, the growth in renewable energy, coupled with increased use of natural gas, is displacing significant amounts of coal.
25Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Redstone Ramps Up — The College Celebrates First Enrollment Class for Wind Tech Program
The school is one of a small group of colleges using an actual wind turbine, which will be converted to a ground-floor wind lab. It is partnering with nearby wind energy heavyweights like Vestas, Suzlon, and RES Americas in an effort to become a major pipeline for their employment needs.
23Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
First Community Solar Garden Goes Live on West Slope
Year-round and seasonal residents of the Roaring Fork Valley have bought individual portions of the array for as little as $725 per panel, or $3.15/kW. Local utility coop Holy Cross Energy will then credit members’ utility bills directly each month at $0.11/kWh based on how much solar each member owns in the array.
20Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Focus on Renewables Development Policy
This Installment: COMMUNITY SOLAR GARDENS
Welcome to Renewables Development Policy, a new topic area from Colorado Energy News created to provide our readers with reporting and insightful analysis of the most current issues impacting development of renewable energy in Colorado. This month we’re focusing on the opportunities and challenges involved with Community Solar Gardens.
18Aug2010 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Xcel Lays Out Plan for Natural Gas Conversion of Metro Denver Power Plants
The proposal from the state’s largest utility, which still faces months of public input at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, would phase out coal-fired generators in Denver and Boulder — like the contentious Valmont facility pictured — and retool most units to run on cleaner natural gas.
17Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Special Report — Water Woes Dry Up Solar Projects
Throughout the southwest, water woes have slowed the pace of solar development. State resource agencies, local governments, environmental groups and local residents have all voiced opposition to the siting of any solar project in their states that comes with large water demands.
16Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Lack of Climate Bill Hinders Carbon Storage,
Fed Agencies Say
While the U.S. Department of Energy is funding 15 projects with the aim of safely and economically storing CO2 in geological formations, the lack of a climate bill is hindering any larger scale carbon storage, federal agencies said this week.
13Aug2010 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
State’s Oil and Gas Activity Heats Up
All 14 parcels offered by the BLM at Thursday’s lease sale were sold, generating $2,038,560, or an average of $207 per acre. A Mesa County parcel received the highest per-acre bid at $1,090 for 157 acres north of Collbran. In total, Colorado is on pace to issue 6,500 permits this year, the second most ever.
13Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Tom Clark of Metro Denver EDC on November Ballot’s “Job Killing Measures”
Everyone in the energy business is painfully aware of how difficult the economy has been in the last few years. Now, just as our state begins to crawl out of the recession, there is a new threat on the horizon. It comes from three dangerous proposals on our fall ballot - Amendments 60 and 61 and Prop 101. If they pass, thousands more will find themselves out of work.
11Aug2010 | admin | 0 comments | Continued-
Why is Dirty Energy Still So Cheap?
The clean tech sector has experienced remarkable success in the past few years, yet there still remains one huge roadblock from mass implementation – cheap fossil fuels. Some may think this is simply a matter of free-market capitalism at work. The real truth is that petroleum and coal industries continue to receive massive subsidies from governments around the world, while renewable energy firms receive only a small fraction of that amount.
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shannon,
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