Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Colorado Senate votes to increase renewable energy requirement


"Xcel Energy will be required to use renewable energy for 30 percent of the power it delivers to customers by 2020 under a bill given almost-final legislative approval Friday by the Colorado Senate.

That’s up from the 20 percent requirement under current law and will put Colorado second only to California in the percentage of energy that utilities are required to provide from renewable sources. California requires that 33 percent of utility-delivered power come from renewable energy -- including several large hydroelectric power plants in that state.

The Senate approved the measure (H.B. 1001) on a 21-13 party line vote. Democrats supported it, Republicans opposed it.

The bill has to go back to the House for approval of minor changes made in the Senate and then will go to Gov. Bill Ritter for his signature. The bill is one of the governor’s top priorities for the 2010 legislative session.

Environment Colorado and the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association both supported the bill, and Xcel also said it supported the bill as long as it didn’t raise the two percent cap on the impact that providing power from renewable energy could have on customers’ bills."

Link to the BrownonGreen.net article

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