Colorado energy gleanings
Film about Suncor Refinery shown in Commerce City, Denver pulls trigger on 12+ solar projects, Tri-State G&T adds innovation officer, and new Colorado board named.
When will low-snow or no-snow winters become the norm in the Sierras? The Rockies?
A new report points out that water infrastructure and systems for the 20th century climate will need to be juggled in the coming time of low- and no-snow winters.
Who’d have thunk? Colorado is now talking about when it will close its last coal plant
A compromise proposal would see Colorado’s last coal plant closing in 2034. Some think Comanche 3 should close much sooner, maybe even 2027.
Cyberattack on Nov. 7 poses questions about vulnerability of electric system in Colorado
A Nov. 7 cyberattack on Delta-Montrose Electric Association that left the electrical cooperative unable to operate phones, e-mail, and payment processing for several weeks has raised questions about the motive of attackers and the security of other electrical...
Gosh, I’ll miss the voice of Greg Hobbs
The death of Greg Hobbs causes me to celebrate two sides of this former state justice: his work as a lawyer specializing in water and his heart as a poet of mountains and plains.
Boulder caught a break in its 2020 emissions. Now, can it pick up the pace?
With covid at its back, Boulder dramatically reduced emissions in 2020. Despite that gain, it will have to pick up its pace to achieve its 2030 emission goals.
Creating a low-carb diet of local and imported energy
Locavore eating, if honorable in intent, has limits. So does the idea of local energy production. Microgrids will have their place, but so will imported energy.
How work underway at Crested Butte may enable better prediction of spring runoff
A warming, drying West will need a better understanding of the dynamics of runoff from mountain topography. Research at Crested Butte hopes to deliver answers.
Extreme weather? Yes, and the events were interrelated
Heat waves, bad air, flash floods, debris flows and drought—these were separate but interrelated parts of climate change in Colorado and beyond during 2021.
On the road to New Mexico — and back
Traveling along I-25 toward Santa Fe on the eve of Thanksgiving, we stopped at Las Vegas to refuel. Cathy went inside and returned with a report that was surprising, even shocking: Everyone was wearing a mask. This, we observed during our four days in New Mexico, was...
Visiting Bishop’s Lodge and the Colorado River Compact
A visit to where the compact was conceived in New Mexico in 1922 provokes questions about whether the agreement needs to be remodeled—or razed.
How renewables are scrambling electrical generation portfolios and lowering rates
Six towns and cities in SE Colorado will be getting electricity from a new wholesale provider, Guzman Energy, which is developing a portfolio of renewables.
