Renewable Standard Introduced in Colorado

Renewable Standard Introduced in Colorado

"Renewable energy is smart for Colorado consumers and it's smart for our rural communitiesýfamilies that are being faced with skyrocketing electricity bills while cheap sources of renewable energy go untapped."

- Coloardo House Speaker Lola Spradley (R-Beulah)

Denver, Colorado - January 30, 2004 [SolarAccess.com] A bipartisan group of Colorado State Representatives and Senators introduced legislation in he State yesterday calling for a renewable energy standard of 500 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity by 2006, 900 MW by 2010 and 1,800 MW by 2020, according to the Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies.

This bill, HB 1273, includes a 150 percent "multiplier" for renewable energy generated in Colorado's rural enterprise zones (meaning that 100 MW of renewable power generated in a rural area would
count as 150 MW toward meeting the bill's goals). Only the two investor-owned utilities in Colorado (Xcel Energy and Aquila) are covered by this legislation: rural co-ops and municipal utilities are exempted.

In a press release issued today, House Speaker Lola Spradley (R-Beulah) said, "Renewable energy is smart for Colorado consumers and it's smart for our rural communitiesýfamilies that are being faced with skyrocketing electricity bills while cheap sources of renewable energy go untapped. This bill changes that."

Spradley's press release notes that HB 1273 has been endorsed by a broad coalition of more than 20 cities and counties, over 120 business and agricultural interests and environmental groups, and that supporters include Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Oil & Gas Association, Xcel Energy, Environment Colorado and others.

HB 1273 is likely to be heard by the House Transportation & Energy Committee as early as next week. More details will be provided as this bill moves through the legislative process.

A statement issued by the Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies on HB 1273 is included below this message.

To download a copy of the bill and follow its progress, visit the following web site at the link below.

For Further Information:

• Legislation Info

• Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies

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