Colorado energy gleanings

A study of the old and the new at Pueblo

Completion of the 300-megawatt Bighorn Solar project was celebrated at Pueblo on Oct. 13, although, in fact, the project isn’t quite complete. About 75% of the power had been turned on, and the rest will follow by sometime in November. But October is a more assured time for good weather, even if the warmer weather caused organizers of the hilltop celebration to watch what might be slithering underfoot.

The solar panels are located entirely on the land of Evraz, the owner of the steel mill that has been a central feature of Pueblo’s economy for 150 years. This is the largest behind-the-meter solar project in the United States. It is likely also the largest single solar project east of the Rocky Mountains.

The location of the ceremony was striking. In the background were the three smokestacks of the Comanche Generating Station. Two of those units will be retired in the next few years and the third, Colorado’s newest coal plant, its stack seen on the right, will retire in 2040, if Xcel persuades regulators that is necessary.

“I feel like I am witnessing the energy transition right in front of me,” said Abby Hopper, chief executive of the Solar Energy Industries Association, a national trade group, during her turn at the lectern. And then she added, “This is what policy makes happen, senator,” she said, looking at Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet.

Somewhat farther away was the steel mill, including the cranes already in place erecting a new long-rail mill, to create quarter-mile-long rails to be sold to the nation’s railroads. That’s what this new source of electricity is for.

Evraz was motivated by price, although Skip Herald, who directs North American operations for the London-traded company, also mentioned the reduction of carbon emissions.

Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar, who spent three summers working at the steel mill while in college, talked about the desire of Pueblo to become the renewable energy capital of Colorado—“but maybe the world.”

Wearing black cowboy boots, blue jeans and green sports jacket, Bennet talked about climate change and the effect on Colorado’s most important asset, water.

“This summer was a tough summer for people across Colorado. We are pretty used to seeing the mountains,” he said, Greenhorn Mountain in the background and, farther south, Huajtolla, as the Comanche called Spanish Peaks.

“That’s why a lot of us live here, and this summer there were many days you couldn’t see the mountains. There were also a lot of days you couldn’t go outside, not because of the fires here, but because of the fires in California.”

Bennet was perhaps speaking about himself as he discussed the challenge of recreating energy to avoid burdening later generations with a more difficult climate, in particular with the water resources in Colorado made more vulnerable.

“We only get to be leaders and key influencers for a very short period of our times,” he said.

Look for another, deeper story about this project in a coming issue of Big Pivots.

Polis appoints 12 to new boards to advise on clean transportation

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has made appointments to two advisory committees involved in the transition to clean energy as required by SB 21-260, Colorado’s massive transportation bill.

Appointed to terms expiring September 2024 on the Clean Transit Enterprise committee to be administered through the state’s Department of Transportation are:

Deyanira “Deya” Zavala of Westminster to represent a transportation-focused organization that serves an environmental justice community. She directs Mile High Connects.
Bonnie Trowbridge of Berthoud, as a representative of a public advocacy group that has transit or comprehensive transportation expertise. She directs Drive Clean Colorado.
Matt Frommer of Denver, as an individual with expertise in zero-emissions transportation, motor vehicle fleets, or utilities. Frommer is with the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project.

Those appointed with terms expiring in September 2025 were:

David Averill of Telluride to represent rural areas and has transit expertise. He directs the San Miguel Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART);
Mark Garcia of Pagosa Springs, who is a member of the Colorado Transportation Commission and is the town manager of Ignacio, and;
Cris Jones of Boulder to represent an urban area and who has transit expertise. He is deputy director of the Boulder Department of Community Vitality.

Another advisory board, the Clean Fleet Enterprise, which is nested within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, is charged by the law with incentivizing and supporting the use of electric motor vehicles.

Those appointed with terms to September 2024 were:

Carlos Gonzalez of Colorado Springs to serve as an individual from a disproportionately impacted community;
Greg Fulton of Denver to serve as an expert in transportation; he is CEO of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association;
Tim Reeser of Johnstown because of his expertise in motor vehicle fleet electrification. He is the chief executive and co-founder of Lightning eMotors in Loveland.
Huma Seth of Arvada, who is from a business that operates a motor vehicle fleet.

Those with terms expiring in September 2024 who were appointed are:

Will Allison of Denver because of air quality expertise. He is a former director of the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division.
John Tayer of Boulder, an expert in business or supply chain management. He is chief executive of the Boulder Chamber.

BlueGreen Alliance notes polling showing strong Colorado support for the Build Back Better Act

The Blue-Green Alliance on Sept. 28 released polling data showing strong support among Colorado voters for the $3.4 trillion Build Back Better plan now before Congress.

The poll of 400 voters by Hart Research on Sept. 24 found that 58% strongly or at least moderately favored the plan, while 35% strongly or at least moderately opposed the plan.

A strong partisan tilt was evident. Of Democrats, 85% favored it and only 11% opposed it. Of Republicans, 64% opposed it and 27% favored it. Of unaffiliated and other voters, 60% favored it.

The plan has many aspects to it, including water infrastructure, a buy-America first component, and a drive to increase clean and renewable energy sources to 80% by 2030, the same as in Colorado.

These gleanings are from Big Pivots 47, published on Oct. 19, 2021.

In a press conference announcing the results, State Sen. Chris Hansen, a Democrat from Denver, pointed to SB 21-72, which he sponsored and which seeks to drive decisions toward a better integrated electrical grid in Colorado and beyond. Colorado could benefit from federal investment. Because of the size of the problem of clean energy and electrical transition, he said, there needs to be a federal aspect to solving it. He noted some bipartisan support.

Union electricians also support the drive to expand renewable electricity. Rich Meisinger, the business manager for IBEW Local 111, said that Colorado’s production from small solar and wind farms and molten salt storage facilities needs to be available for sharing across the country.

South Utes join regional natural gas organization

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe has joined the Western States and Tribal Nations Natural Gas Initiatives, an organization that hopes to develop new markets for natural gas and the infrastructure necessary to export it to nations that want lower-emitting fuel options.

The organization in June released a study that found reduced lifecycle emissions of U.S.-sourced liquid natural gas as compared with coal when used for power generation in five Asian nations.

The Southern Ute tribe joins the Western Colorado counties of Garfield, Mesa, Moffat, and Rio Blanco as well as the of New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Baja California, Mexico. Members also include the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the Ute Indian Tribe.

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