Will this smooth the renewable highs and lows?
Xcel Energy announces testing of 100-hour batteries in Pueblo by as early as 2025. Will this technology displace natural gas peaker plants?
Finding partners for solar + storage
Holy Cross Energy’s solar + storage project near Glenwood Springs reflects partnerships and synergies. Can it find other such projects in the Aspen-Vail-Rifle area?
A biggest ever in Colorado for battery storage
Tiny now, like a pebble, lithium-ion battery storage in Colorado will soon be like a boulder. What else is needed to complete this emissions-free jigsaw puzzle?
A new dimension in the Colorado River debate
Climate change adds a new layer to the talk in the fast-declining Colorado River Basin. Net-zero concepts moves forward. Plus planning for extreme weather.
A sharper pivot for Xcel Energy
A settlement agreement proposes to retire Comanche 3 sooner and identifies a 25-year yardstick for evaluating the need for new natural gas plants. It also punts some key decisions.
Comanche 3’s shaky reason to exist
Colorado’s youngest coal plant has been down again in 2022. Can it be counted on to deliver power when it’s really needed?
Shaving (electric) peaks in Aspen
An innovator, Aspen now has a Tesla battery at a location where it can do the most good, instead of at a mountain-top restaurant.
Comanche 3 idled once again
Colorado PUC orders a report about the latest “generator casualty.” Much larger questions remain about reliability of state’s youngest coal plant.
Islands in the Rockies
Colorado a century ago was poorly connected by roads. Its electrical utilities still are poorly linked. Why they need energy markets.and how that may happen.
A settlement, still many questions about Xcel’s giant pivot in Colorado
This is the energy transition, messy and complicated, with much to like—but also much about which to disagree.
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.
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.
