- Colorado electricity is still 73% fossil fueled despite much cheaper wind and solar, even with batteries.
- Colorado has also been dealing with dangerously heavy ozone and continued increasing temperatures will make future ozone levels worse. Hotter temperatures are increasing ozone levels “That (EPA) standard of 70 parts per billion has been set to protect human health. If we are violating it, we should be concerned, especially people who are susceptible to poor air quality: children, the elderly and asthmatics,” said a researcher, doctor, and public health professional. But ozone levels would drop to as little as 1 percent of today’s total by 2050 if greenhouse gas emissions are controlled through rapid adoption of clean energy, researchers found. Gabriele Pfiester, an atmospheric scientist for the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The study was published by JG Atmospheres, a journal run by the American Geophysical Union in 2014.
- HB19-1261 provides a clear statutory framework for tackling the state’s contribution to human-caused climate change.
- It sets statewide targets for reducing heat-trapping pollution (by at least 26% reduction by 2025, at least 50×2030, and at least 90×2050
- It gives the Air Quality Control Commission a mandate to put in place the binding rules that will be necessary to meet these targets. CA used similar authority to create the California Energy Commission and empowering it to create energy efficiency standards for equipment and buildings. state has become more energy-efficient than the rest of the US, which has helped keep its residents’ energy bills low even as the per-unit cost of energy increases.
the standards ratchet up automatically. In my interview with policy analyst Hal Harvey, he explained why that’s so important:
[California’s building code] gets tighter every three years. It only took one law, in the 1970s, to make that happen. That bill, [which established] Title 24 [in the state building code], was signed when Jerry Brown was the youngest governor in California’s history. He’s now the oldest governor in California’s history. In between, Republicans and Democrats alike saw the building code get stronger and stronger. It didn’t require cashing in political capital, going back to the legislature, debating it — it just happens.”
The standards have proven, by any possible measure, a triumph.
“It is difficult to overstate the impact and value of these standards,” NRDC writes. “Because of them — both the initial iterations and periodic upgrades — households got a break on their electric bills, the California landscape avoided dozens of new generating stations, and thousands of tons of harmful particulate emissions and smog were prevented.”
- Other legislation directs the Public Utilities Commission to consider social cost of carbon accounting in its rulemaking.
With the enactment of HB19-1261, Colorado finally has a clear statutory framework for tackling the state’s contribution to human-caused climate change. The new law sets statewide targets for reducing heat-trapping pollution (by at least 26% reduction by 2025, at least 50% by 2030, and at least 90% by 2050) and gives the Air Quality Control Commission a mandate to put in place the binding rules that will be necessary to meet these targets. Only a few other states have passed such legislation – notably California, with the enactment in 2008 of its pioneering AB 32, which has driven many actions there showing how much a state can to do reduce climate change. How California became far more energy-efficient than the rest of the country, Vox, May 31, 2019. A Natural Resources Defense Council report finds that if the rest of the nation had improved on per capital fossil fuel consumption as quickly as California has between 1975 and 2016, U.S. greenhouse gases would be almost 25 percent lower. Key was the state’s response to the 1970s energy crisis: creation of the California Energy Commission and empowering it to create energy efficiency standards for equipment and buildings.
Even more was passed in the just-ended state legislative session, including other laws to:
- Require the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to regularly inventory and forecast heat-trapping emissions across the state, so we can know what climate efforts are working well and which aren’t.
- Extend the existing income tax credit for electric vehicle purchases/leases through 2026, when EVs are expected to reach price parity with conventional vehicles.
- Enable investor-owned utilities to build and operate EV charging infrastructure.
- Direct the Public Utilities Commission to consider social cost of carbon accounting in its rulemaking, expand its oversight over Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (the supplier of many of the state’s rural electric cooperatives), and create opportunities for coal plant closure securitization.
Many organizations have been working on this: Clean Energy Action, Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate, Ready for 100 and the Sierra Club, CoCO, CRP, Colorado Communities for Climate Action. For more details on this year’s legislative successes, see this CC4CA posting.
POLIS ADMINISTRATION ROADMAP – THE VISION
Governor Polis ran on a bold platform of achieving 100% Renewable Energy by 2040. This goal is motivated by the moral imperative to fight climate change and curb pollution of our air and water, as well as the opportunity to drive innovation and harness the consumer savings and economic benefits of leading the transition to a clean energy economy. This is our roadmap to achieve this goal.
This transition is already underway and shows no signs of slowing down. The two fastest-growing professions in the United States are solar photovoltaic installers and wind turbine service technicians. Fourteen Colorado towns and counties have already taken the initiative and adopted the goal of getting 100% of their electricity from clean renewable energy: Denver, Pueblo, Boulder, Fort Collins, Summit County, Frisco, Aspen, Glenwood Springs, Breckenridge, Longmont, Lafayette, Nederland to Golden. These diverse communities know that protecting Colorado’s way of life means doing our part to combat climate change, and that swiftly adopting renewable energy in our electricity sector and then extending the impact of that clean electricity across the economy will protect the health of our communities, create good paying jobs, strengthen our economy and keep rates low for customers.
- Modernize the Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
- Grow green jobs and save consumers money
- Promote energy efficiency
- More zero emission vehicles and commuting options
- Support local commitment to 100% renewable energy
- Move towards zero emission buildings
- Ensure a just and equitable transition for all of Colorado
- The Polis Administration has taken a number of significant steps that make a down payment on our commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2040. By partnering with the Legislature, we’ve empowered the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to facilitate a rapid transition to renewable energy across the state that includes working with our largest utility to invest in renewable energy and meet a goal of reducing greenhouse gas pollution 80% by 2030. We’re building a regulatory framework that will enable the PUC to work with our second largest utility to transition from coal-fired power to cheaper, cleaner sources of renewable energy. We are also making it easier for individual Coloradans to participate by expanding access to energy efficiency and community solar gardens.
Additionally, the Legislature passed House Bill 1261, which sets economy-wide targets for reducing greenhouse gas pollution, with goals of 26% reduction by 2025 below 2005 levels, 50% reduction by 2030 and 90% reduction by 2050, and delegates authority to the Air Quality Control Commission to adopt rules to make progress towards those goals.
One of the most important parts of our transition to cleaner energy is electrifying transportation in Colorado. In order to meet the Governor’s goal of 940,000 zero emission vehicles on the road by 2030, state agencies have taken a number of steps, including allocating approximately $14 million to
transit agencies across the state to deploy cleaner buses. The agencies are also expeditiously establishing public-private partnerships to build 33 fast charging stations along major highways in the state.
Working with the Legislature, we’ve also made it easier for utilities, with oversight from the PUC, to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure.
While we’ve already taken important strides towards our renewable energy vision, there’s much work to do. The policies adopted this legislative session provide the foundation for much higher levels of renewable energy integration, but additional strategies will be needed to get to 100% by
- It’s going to take the perspective, expertise, and commitment from diverse voices across the state to forge a renewable energy future that works for all of Colorado. Together, we can do our part to fight climate change, improve air quality and the health of our communities, diversify and strengthen our economy across the state, and ensure the good-paying jobs of the quickly growing green energy economy are created here in Colorado.
? The Colorado PUC, and the electric utilities it regulates, is uniquely situated to help the state of Colorado and local communities rapidly transition to renewable energy in a manner that drives the best outcomes for consumers.
MODERNIZE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Ensure that the full social cost of carbon pollution is factored into decision-making associated with electricity generation and utility investments in energy efficiency and electric vehicle infrastructure.
Promote investments in the distribution system that take advantage of technology advancement and support reduced pollution, customer choice, and a resilient and reliable system.
Ensure that all communities across the state, including those served by rural electric cooperatives, are receiving the economic, health and environmental benefits of a transition to renewable energy, by ensuring that generation and transmission cooperatives are subject to PUC review of their resource plans.
Advocate for evaluation of existing resources as part of utility planning to accelerate the transition to low cost renewable energy.
Explore opportunities, like performance-based ratemaking, to better align utility investment and operations with public goals such as emissions reductions, cost savings to ratepayers, and reliability.
Appoint pro-consumer and pro-renewable members to the Public Utilities Commission.
Passage of SB19-236: Sunset
Public Utilities Commission
Directs the PUC to account for
the social cost of carbon dioxide
emissions in electric resource
planning, demand side
management planning and
decisions around beneficial
electrifications.
Directs the PUC to promulgate
rules requiring generation and
transmission utilities to submit
resource plans for approval,
which will help ensure that our
rural cooperatives can benefit
from clean energy.
Directs utilities to file distribution
system plans for PUC approval.
Directs PUC to conduct an
investigation of financial
performance-based incentives
and other mechanisms to align
utility operations and investments
with various public
benefit goals, including safety,
cost e ciency and emissions
reduction.
Directs Xcel Energy to submit a
plan for PUC approval that will
achieve an 80% reduction in
GHG emissions by 2030 and
lays out criteria for approval.
PUC Proceeding 189R-0096E
Advocated for new rules that:
Require utilities to evaluate the
economic retirement of existing
resources, such as coal-fired
power plants.
Allow customers to donate solar
energy credits to help reduce
bills for other customers.
Expand access to community
solar gardens for residential and
agricultural customers.
3
In order to achieve our
goal we must empower
technology advancements
and scale adoption of
clean, renewable energy
technologies.
Homeowners and
business owners should all
have the ability to benefit
from cheaper, cleaner
sources of energy and
need the choice to adopt
100% renewable energy at
their businesses and
homes before 2040.
Protect homeowners rights to
distributed renewable energy.
Support expansion of, and access
to, community solar gardens.
Analyze pathways to achieve
targets set forth in House Bill 1261
to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions at least 26% by 2025,
50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050,
compared to 2005 levels.
Expand consumer access to
storage options.
Engage agricultural partners and
private landowners to support
and facilitate diversification of
revenue through siting of
renewable energy development.
Passage of HB19-1003:
Community Solar Gardens
Modernization Act
Expands access to community
solar gardens.
Passage of SB19-236:
Sunset Public Utilities
Commission
Entitles customers to install
onsite solar and storage to
meet their own energy needs
and to export unused electricity
to the utility system.
Passage of HB19-1272: Housing
Authority Property in Colorado
New Energy Improvement
District
Clarifies housing authority
participation in Commercial
PACE.
While more analysis is
necessary, some form of an
enhanced electricity market
could lead to cost savings
and system e ciency,
enhance reliability and
support integration of
higher levels of renewable
energy across a wider
geographic region.
Engage with regional partners
and Western Governors to
explore potential benefits of
regional markets.
Convene a statewide discussion
looking towards the potential
benefits of regional market
options to support our transition
to renewable energy.
Support PUC examination of
regional market options.
Passage of SB19-236: Sunset
Public Utilities Commission
Directs the PUC to conduct an
analysis of the potential benefits
to joining a regional electricity
market, which could enable
greater levels of integration of
renewable energy.
ACTION STEPS AND PROGRESS TO DATE
DIRECTION POLICIES AND ACTIONS PROGRESS TO DATE
MODERNIZE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
GROW GREEN JOBS AND SAVE CONSUMERS MONEY
4
In order to achieve our
goal we must empower
technology advancements
and scale adoption of
clean, renewable energy
technologies.
Homeowners and
business owners should all
have the ability to benefit
from cheaper, cleaner
sources of energy and
need the choice to adopt
100% renewable energy at
their businesses and
homes before 2040.
DIRECTION POLICIES AND ACTIONS PROGRESS TO DATE
ACTION STEPS AND PROGRESS TO DATE
GROW GREEN JOBS AND SAVE CONSUMERS MONEY (CONTINUED)
Expand public-private partnerships
for financing distributed
renewable energy.
Promote the growth of
Commercial Property Assessed
Clean Energy Financing (C-PACE).
Administer the Residential Energy
Upgrade (RENU) loan program.
Support utility leadership in their
eorts to transition to renewable
energy.
Move forward on the establishment
of a green bank in Colorado
through the Colorado Clean
Energy Fund.
In FY2019, the C-PACE program
has financed over $23 million
commercial building energy
improvements to date.
To date in FY2019, the RENU
program financed over $2.7
million for residential solar
photovoltaic loans.
The Colorado Clean Energy
Fund is working to establish its
governance structure and
preparing to launch its first
product line by the summer of
2019.
PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
A powerful tool in the
toolbox is energy
e ciency, which is the
cheapest and fastest way to
cut harmful pollution.
E ciency eorts will save
Coloradans money, spur
investment in new
technology and create jobs.
Support infrastructure upgrades
and smart grid investments to
improve system e ciency.
Support improved building codes
and appliance e ciency
standards.
Provide low-income
weatherization services.
Expand residential and
commercial energy financing
programs.
Passage of HB19-1231: New
Appliance Energy and Water
E ciency Standards
Updates and adopts new
standards for new equipment
sold in Colorado, and requires
that certain appliances,
plumbing fixtures and other
products meet energy e ciency
and water e ciency standards.
In FY2019, the C-PACE program
has financed over $23 million
commercial building energy
improvements to date.
5
DIRECTION POLICIES AND ACTIONS PROGRESS TO DATE
ACTION STEPS AND PROGRESS TO DATE
PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY (CONTINUED)
A powerful tool in the
toolbox is energy
e ciency, which is the
cheapest and fastest way to
cut harmful pollution.
E ciency eorts will save
Coloradans money, spur
investment in new
technology and create jobs.
Support utility achievement of 2%
demand side management (DSM)
goals.
MORE ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES AND COMMUTING OPTIONS
Pursuing strategies to
electrify transportation will
extend the air quality and
economic benefits of cleaner
electricity generation and
make it easier to integrate
higher levels of renewable
generation into the grid.
Implementation of Executive
Order B 2019-002 Supporting a
Transition to Zero Emission
Vehicles.
Work with the Legislature to
enable utilities to invest in electric
vehicle infrastructure in ways that
will support a more e cient grid
and greater adoption of electric
vehicles.
Work with the Legislature to
provide consumer incentives for
EV adoption – tax credits and
HOV/express lane incentives.
Passage of SB19-077: Public
Utility Implementation of an
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Program Authorizes public
utilities to provide charging
stations and requires utilities to
file applications to support
widespread transportation
electrification, and EV specific
rate oerings.
On track to install 234
community based EV charging
stations through Charge Ahead
Colorado by the end of the fiscal
year.
To date in FY2019, the RENU
program financed over 50
residential energy e ciency
loans.
The Agricultural Energy
E ciency program is on track
to conduct 40 energy audits by
the end of the fiscal year.
The Weatherization Assistance
Program is on track to provide
services to 1,750 low-income
clients by the end of the fiscal
year.
SB19-236 requires the PUC to
include the social cost of
avoided carbon pollution when
considering DSM plans.
New DSM plans established for
Xcel Energy & Black Hills
Energy in FY2019.
6
DIRECTION POLICIES AND ACTIONS PROGRESS TO DATE
ACTION STEPS AND PROGRESS TO DATE
MORE ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES AND COMMUTING OPTIONS (CONTINUED)
Pursuing strategies to
electrify transportation will
extend the air quality and
economic benefits of cleaner
electricity generation and
make it easier to integrate
higher levels of renewable
generation into the grid.
Work with public and private
fleets to support the transition to
electric vehicles.
Develop programs to incentivize
Transportation Network
Companies to shift to electric
vehicles. Implement a Zero
Emission Vehicles standard or an
alternative agreement, that will
lead to guaranteed levels of ZEV
adoption from 2020-2025.
Invest in a charging network that
will support widespread
consumer adoption of EVs.
Support local government
adoption of EV building codes,
fleet targets, and local EV plans.
Determine whether a Low Carbon
Fuel Standard is an appropriate
policy tool for Colorado.
Work with the legislature to
enable utility investment to
support beneficial electrification,
which will both reduce emissions
and support a more e cient grid.
Develop strategies for medium
and heavy duty vehicle decarbonization,
considering energy
e ciency, electrification, and low
carbon fuel options.
Passage of HB19-1159:
Modifications to the Income Tax
Credits for Innovative Motor
Vehicles
Modifies the amounts and extends
the number of years of existing
income tax credits for the purchase
of electric or hydrogen fuel cell
vehicles. Allows ride-sharing
companies to claim the full tax
credit if vehicles are provided to
drivers under a short-term rental
program.
Passage of HB19-1198: Power and
Duties of the Electric Vehicle Grant
Fund
Provides more flexibility in how the
EV Grant Fund is used by allowing
funds for administration of charging
station grants and to oset charging
station operating costs.
Passage of SB19-239: Address
Impacts of Transportation Changes
Convenes a stakeholder process,
led by CDOT, which will study the
fiscal and policy incentives to
encourage shared, electric trips by
companies like Uber and Lyft,
car-sharing companies, and delivery
services.
PUC Proceeding 18AL-0852E:
Advocated for rates that support
customer investment in charging
stations to help expand the
development of electric vehicle
charging. Finalized a public-private
partnership to build 33 fast charging
stations along all of the major
highways.
CDOT allocated approximately $14
million of VW settlement funds to
transit agencies to deploy electric
buses.
CO Dept. of Public Health and
Environment has submitted a
proposed Zero Emission Vehicle
rule to the Air Quality Control
Commission for consideration, and
has begun to revise the state VW
plan to direct all remaining dollars to
support zero emission vehicle
adoption.
7
As we transition to 100%
renewable energy we
need policies in place to
ensure that workers in
fossil fuel industries can put
their skills to work in the
clean energy economy,
that we are creating
opportunities for workers to
train and compete for the
good-paying jobs of
tomorrow, and that we are
not leaving any community
behind.
We must also make
environmental justice
central in
consideration of
relevant policies and in the
development and
implementation of state
energy programs.
Support workforce and economic
transition planning for
communities impacted by a
changing energy landscape.
Work with the Legislature to
pursue creative financing
mechanisms that support
transition to cheaper, cleaner
sources of energy in a manner
that supports both the workers
and communities impacted by the
transition.
Continue to support impacted
communities through the
Department of Local Aairs’
(DOLA) Rural Economic
Development Initiative (REDI) with
funds to transition to more
sustainable economies and
attract new, diverse industries.
Work with the PUC to maximize
outcomes for consumers and our
energy workforce as we transition
to renewable energy.
Carefully consider the human
health and environmental impacts
of energy development and
climate change on low-income
and underserved populations,
including rural areas, communities
of color, children, the elderly and
sick.
·
·
•
Passage of SB19-236: Sunset
Public Utilities Commission
Requires utilities, when
proposing retirement of an
electric generating facility, to
include a workforce transition
plan that provides estimates of
workforce transitions that will
occur as a result of retiring the
electric generating facility.
Creates a securitization bonding
mechanism that could reduce
costs associated with early plant
retirement and fund workforce
and community transition eorts.
Strengthens an existing provision
requiring electric resource
acquisition decisions to be made
with consideration of “best value”
employment metrics and the use
of Colorado labor by requiring a
utility to obtain and provide to
the PUC relevant documentation
on these topics, including the
availability of apprenticeship
programs registered with the
United States Department of
Labor.
DOLA’s Local Government
Division has assisted impacted
communities to support small
business start ups, main street/
downtown revitalization eorts,
the launch of technology
incubators and other locally
driven economic development
planning projects largely in
western Colorado.
Passage of HB19-1314: Just
Transition from Coal-based
Electrical Energy Economy
Establishes a Just Transition
O ce tasked with aligning and
delivering programming and
funding to communities and
workers impacted by a transition
away from coal-fired electricity, in
addition to disproportionately
impacted communities who have
borne the costs of pollution.
ACTION STEPS AND PROGRESS TO DATE
DIRECTION POLICIES AND ACTIONS PROGRESS TO DATE
ENSURE A JUST AND EQUITABLE TRANSITION FOR ALL OF COLORADO
8
State and local
governments are big
consumers of energy and
must lead by example.
Local governments also
have significant authority
over building codes,
transportation investments,
and other key clean energy
policy levers.
Engage with communities on
implementation strategies to
achieve local clean energy goals.
Expand use of Energy
Performance Contracting by
public agencies.
Develop a beyond code toolkit
for communities to adopt
progressive energy codes.
Develop strategies to support
local clean energy goals facilitating
utility-community cooperation
and private sector partnerships.
Develop a program to support
local electric vehicle planning and
energy code and ordinance
adoption.
Support investment in rural
electric vehicle infrastructure and
renewable energy.
Work with local governments,
transit agencies and local businesses
to develop and support
bold local electrification goals
and strategies.
Update the State’s Greening
Government goals, including
consideration of:
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By the end of the fiscal year,
Colorado Energy O ce(CEO) is
on track to provide 35 energy
building code trainings and
technical assistance to 6 local
governments seeking to adopt
new codes.
In FY2019, CEO has entered into
20 MOUs with public entities for
Energy Performance Contracts to
date:
3 State Agencies
3 Institutes of Higher Education
7 School Districts
3 Cities
1 County
3 Special Districts
CEO and Department of
Personnel and Administration
(DPA) worked with state agencies
to assess if vehicles approved
for replacement were candidates
for electric models. The analysis
contributed to the purchase of
26 new electric vehicles in the
FY 2019 procurement cycle.
CEO partnered with the DPA and
the Controller’s O ce to create a
workplace charging policy that
allows agencies to oer workplace
charging at no cost to
employees. Agencies will be
required to track and report
annual station usage.
The Department of Local Aairs
has launched a $12 million
Renewable/Clean Energy Challenge
grant program to spark
eorts with local governments in
reaching Colorado’s 100%
renewable energy goal. $2
million of this funding has been
set aside for planning eorts and
the remaining $10 million will be
allocated for implementation
projects. Projects funded by this
initiative will be designed to
support renewable energy
adoption, energy e ciency and
conservation eorts, and
innovations in renewable energy.
ACTION STEPS AND PROGRESS TO DATE
DIRECTION POLICIES AND ACTIONS PROGRESS TO DATE
SUPPORT LOCAL COMMITMENT TO 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY
Energy and water e ciency
Zero-Emission Vehicle Fleet Adoption
Greenhouse gas emissions reduction
Environmentally preferable purchasing
Recycling and waste management
9
Achieving the state’s
emission goals will require
significant reductions in
emissions associated with
heating and cooling buildings.
Integrating energy
e ciency with the expanded
use of clean electricity
as an alternative to burning
fossil fuels in buildings
could bring consumer cost
savings, enhanced grid
operations and reduced
emissions.
Develop a blueprint for building
electrification.
Work with stakeholders to
develop next generation building
codes that address energy
e ciency, building electrification,
distributed renewables, and
Electric Vehicle charging.
·
Passage of HB19-1260:
Building Energy Codes
Requires local jurisdictions to
adopt one of the 3 most recent
versions of the International
Energy Conservation Code (ICC),
at a minimum, when updating
any other building code.
ACTION STEPS AND PROGRESS TO DATE
DIRECTION POLICIES AND ACTIONS PROGRESS TO DATE
MOVE TOWARDS ZERO EMISSIONS BUILDINGS
10
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association Sets Long-Term Goal for Increased Reliance on Carbon-Free Energy Sources
PVREA is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving over 44,000 homes and businesses in Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties in Northern Colorado. More information is available atwww.pvrea.coop. PVREA’s “80 by 30” initiative is the co-op’s first-ever carbon reduction goal, seeking to increase carbon-free energy from 33 percent today to 80 percent by 2030.
“Establishing the ’80 by 30’ goal is our first step toward increased reliance on carbon-free energy sources,” said Jeff Wadsworth, president and chief executive officer of PVREA. “By setting this ambitious goal, we have the opportunity to proactively address Colorado’s evolving regulatory environment and manage costs associated with potential future regulatory requirements.”
“With support from our Board of Directors, PVREA is up to the task of achieving this important goal. We’re beginning the process of defining specific actions to achieve the ‘80 by 30’ goal while maintaining the affordable rates and reliable service our members expect,” continued Wadsworth. To help reach the “80 by 30” goal over the next decade, PVREA will look to advancements in technologies, including battery storage and grid management systems. PVREA will also continue to promote the development of a regional transmission organization and proactively pursue carbon-free generation opportunities.
In recent years, PVREA has made significant carbon-free advancements by incorporating local renewable energy into the electric grid through long-term purchase power agreements with smaller, carbon-free generators within its service territory. PVREA’s current power mix includes two hydroelectric generators, four large solar arrays, and three community-owned solar farms. PVREA plans to continue the expansion of its local renewable energy generation as a part of the “80 by 30” goal, starting with the completion of two, new large solar arrays in 2019.
PVREA purchases most of its power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State G&T), a wholesale power supplier, and generates the remaining balance from local renewable energy facilities and member-owned solar arrays. Tri-State G&T has added nearly 800 megawatts of renewable energy projects in the last decade and plans to add more in the future. Additional information on the “80 by 30” initiative is available at www.pvrea.coop/80by30.
