Utilities
Utilities: What Walmart’s Power Plans Say About Your Future (It’s Scary!)
The Walmart announcement sounds like bragging about the things the retail giant will do to improve the environment. Look a little closer, and you’ll see that it has some challenging implications for the current utility business model.
18Apr2013 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Xcel Energy Achieved Record Energy Savings
The utility exceeded energy savings goals by 22% by helping its business and residential customers save a record 401 million kWh from energy efficiency programs implemented in 2012, according to an annual DSM report recently issued by the utility.
11Apr2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
New Grid Strategy in West Welcome News Says Wind Industry
The California power grid operator and PacifiCorp creation of “Energy Imbalance Market” in the Western U.S. will use computer technology to exchange electricity at five-minute intervals, instead of by telephone every hour as was formerly the case.
12Feb2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Judge Rejects Xcel’s Request for $16.6 Million
in SmartGridCity Costs
In a 51-page ruling, Judge Paul Gomez wrote that Xcel had “provided little in the way of a robust strategic plan” and direct benefits for customers. His recommended decision will go to the full Colorado Public Utilities Commission, which will make the final decision.
18Jan2013 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Boulder’s AeriNOx Lands Emissions Control Deal
Once installed in the 110MW facility in Grand County, Kansas, the system will reduce NOx and CO emissions as much as 92%, making the power plant one of the lowest emitting natural gas facilities in North America.
10Dec2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Aspen Skiing Co. Partners With Coal Mine
for Methane Power
For a ski company that heralds powder days, Aspen Skiing Co. on Friday rallied atop a coal mine to applaud a power day. With a tap of a finger on a glass screen, a rumbling generator, fueled by methane vented from the Oxbow Corp.’s Elk Creek Mine, began producing electricity.
11Nov2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Last Chance to Get Bonus Rebates for Lighting Upgrades
Energy Efficiency Alert — Local utilities are offering 30-50% bonus rebates for lighting upgrades for a limited time. Inefficient T12 lamps are no longer being manufactured or imported. This is an opportunity for businesses to upgrade to efficient lighting for cost savings.
7Nov2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
GOP Blames EPA For Coal Sector Losses But New Study Tags Gas Prices
Republican candidates are stepping up their campaigns blaming EPA and its rules for contractions in the coal sector, a key employer in many swing states, despite recent findings showing that low natural gas prices are more likely to blame for the job losses than EPA rules.
21Oct2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Utility Best Practice Efficiency Programs Can Save Western States $20 billion
This report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project shows that every dollar invested in utility energy efficiency programs returns more than two dollars in savings on business and household utility bills, with potential to create an economic windfall of $20 billion for six southwestern states.
9Oct2012 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Colorado Company Gets Fed Clearance for Grid Project
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission this week approved a request by Lucky Corridor LLC that clears the way for the company to start selling transmission rights and services to energy developers on what would be 93 miles of beefed-up power lines.
6Oct2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Denver to Host America Infrastructure Leadership Forum
On October 15-17, 2012, more than 500 executives from the public and private sector will gather at the 4th Annual North America Infrastructure Leadership Forum. The Forum is a dynamic 2.5 day conference, focused on infrastructure development in North America, designed to facilitate business and promote projects across the region.
14Sep2012 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
CO2 Emissions Decline in West
Descending from the Pollution Plateau: Why Carbon Dioxide Emissions are Declining in the Mountain West and How to Keep it that Way comes on the heels of a study by the U.S. Department of Energy showing CO2 emissions in the United States at their lowest level since 1992.
4Sep2012 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Natural Gas Increases are Diminishing
Carbon Emissions
Natural gas from shale is rising, providing almost as much fuel for utilities as coal — but certainly trending higher. The result is fewer carbon dioxide emissions, notably less than in previous years, says the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
7Aug2012 | admin | 2 comments | Continued- Tri-State’s Expanding Wind Footprint
The electric cooperative’s 67-megawatt Colorado Highlands Wind project is expanding to 91 megawatts. Construction, using 14 GE turbines, is expected to commence in July and be completed this fall.
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Oil/Gas Industry: Trust us! We care, we really do. The rest of the us: No! 
Thanks for the info Fred! 
I think its a 10% mandate not 5%. 
To see this exciting change as "scary" seems incredibly short-sited to me. Between the increasing power demands caused by ...
Thanks for highlighting all the great work the Northern Colorado Chapter of CRES is doing. One small but important correction--the ...