The Denver Business JournalCalling it an "historic" day, Colorado's Democratic leadership rolled out its renewable energy package Wednesday, with proposals ranging from grants to putting wind turbines on schools to upping the amount of renewable energy used by the state's big utilities to 20 percent by 2020.
"This is the beginning of Colorado's realization of its potential," said Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Coal Creek Canyon.
At least 12 bills will be put forward, said House Majority Leader Rep. Alice Madden, D-Boulder.
"We're literally embarking on a new energy future for Colorado," Madden said.
The goal is to diversify the state's energy sources beyond fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas to domestic renewable resources that offer economic and national security, said Gov. Bill Ritter.
"We have the resources, we have the intellectual capacity to literally be the nation's capital of renewable energy," Madden said.
But Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, later issued a response calling for caution.
"Coloradans, of course, would welcome new sources of reliable, renewable energy," McElhany said. "The big question is how much will it cost consumers? .... Our new governor, in particular, has to be careful that he doesn't become so enamored of alternative energy that he loses track of his responsibility to the rate-paying public."
Top on the "to-do" list is a bill, sponsored by Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder, to boost the renewable energy used by the state's largest utilities to 20 percent by 2020. Pommer said the bill is still being discussed but is expected to be introduced next week.
Pommer said some details are hazy, but the bill is expected to cover investor-owned utilities, municipally owned utilities and rural electric associations. "Renewable" energy is expected to be defined as wind, solar and biofuel power -- not new hydroelectric power.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Democrats pushing renewable energy bills
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