Two New CEA White Papers, Colorado GHG Roadmap, What We Are Reading, and More! |
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Upcoming Event: Holy Cross Energy Journey to 100% Renewable Electricity
Right before Christmas 2020, Holy Cross Energy (the public utility serving areas around Aspen, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs, Colorado) announced that they would go to 100% renewable electricity by 2030. Hear them discuss their strategic plan at a talk hosted by Empower Our Future and Clean Energy Action.
When: January 28, 2021, 5:30 pm MST
Where: Virtual - register HERE
According to Holy Cross's press release announcing their new energy goals, this new "100x30" mission builds on their already ambitious past goal of reaching 70% renewables at no added cost by 2030. Having already acquired new clean energy generation resources, and having sold their shares of energy output from Xcel's Pueblo Unit 3 coal plant, the utility felt that they were ahead of schedule for their past goals and have moved towards an even more ambitious position.
For an insight into the sources, acquisitions, and challenges the utility has had to managed so far in achieving its goal, check out this in-depth story.
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Privatizing the Risks and
Not Just the Profits: White Paper
As coal plants and other fossil fuel assets retire earlier than expected, the question quickly arises, “Who will pay off the debts associated with these fossil fuel assets?” In June 2020, the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) issued a report "How to Retire Early" that fundamentally assumes that utility customers should pay off the remaining debt associated with utility coal plants that are retired early.
Clean Energy Action certainly shares RMI’s desire to accelerate the retirement of coal plants for both environmental and economic reasons, but believes that utilities should bear some accountability for their stranded assets. Read more on CEA's website, and download the CEA white paper responding to the RMI report.
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The Myth of the "Regulatory Compact": White Paper
The RMI report in the previous section (that assumes that stranded assets should be paid off by a utility's customers) relies on an assumption that regulated utilities have an inviolable right to earn a profit from their investments, regardless of whether those investments were prudent or managed properly. CEA argues that this assumption is not supported by statute or case law. Read more on CEA's blog, and download our white paper examining the historical legal record of the regulatory compact.
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Xcel's Hayden Coal Plants
to Close Early
CEA is excited to report that Hayden Units 1 and 2 will now be closed in 2028 and 2027, respectively, moved up from 2030 and 2036. It also underscores the need to equitably apportion Xcel's reduction in revenue from the closures. Click HERE to read a full story about the new retirement dates.
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Final Version of GHG Roadmap Released
The Colorado governor's final version of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Roadmap was released on January 14. It has improved on the draft version from last fall by adding legislative goals and more equity considerations, but groups say more still needs to be done. Members of some frontline communities in Colorado responded with a press release calling for more inclusion in the roadmap for protections regarding the most vulnerable and impacted residents in the state.
350 Colorado also released a report, "Avoiding a Roadmap to Climate Catastrophe", which outlines Colorado's dangerous underestimation of the oil and gas industry's greenhouse gas emissions, how the state is planning to increase oil and gas production, and how to fix it. For a story examining 350 Colorado's report, click HERE.
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PUC Update
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy's $110 million Transportation Electrification Plan. To read a story about what the plan hopes to achieve, and what areas of the state will see development of EV transportation infrastructure, click HERE.
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2021 Colorado Legislative Session
The Colorado state legislature usually begins its new session in early January. This year, because of the pandemic, the session was kicked off on January 13, but only for three days to swear in new members and take care of urgent business regarding the pandemic. The session is planned to resume in full on February 16.
Expected energy-related legislation includes environmental justice, Community Choice Energy, microgrids, addressing methane leaks, increasing energy storage, building efficiency, and more. For a general take on what the upcoming session may hold, click HERE, and for a more environmental focus, click HERE.
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What We Are Reading
Gold Hill Resilience Study
A resilience and feasibility study focused on renewable energy for the small foothills town of Gold Hill CO has just been released. Click HERE to see the findings.
Chicago Charging Deserts
The Windy City has a problem when it comes to EV charging stations, they are overwhelmingly in affluent and whiter neighborhoods. This creates a chicken and egg problem when it comes to expanding the adoption of EV vehicles. Click HERE for more information and possible solutions to this issue.
Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) Extended.
In the massive omnibus bill that passed the US congress last session, the solar ITC was extended for another two years. This credit allows solar construction projects to deduct a certain percentage of the investment costs from one's taxes. Read more HERE.
ILSR John Farrell Report on Electricity Monopolies
A report from John Farrell at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance spells out the huge problem that is the US's monopolized energy sector, and potential fixes to the issue. For a summary and a link to the report, click HERE.
Portugal reaches 59% renewables in 2020
The European country of more than 10 million people produced over half of its electricity in 2020 from renewable sources. The majority of the production came from hydroelectric and wind (each accounting for about a quarter of the country's electricity, respectively). Click HERE to read more.
Watching A Truck Hauling Wind Turbine Blades Kinda Hurts Your Brain
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Thanks for your continued engagement in helping us create a brighter future!
- The Clean Energy Action Team
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