March 13, 2010 08:30 PM UTC

The New Energy Frontier in Colorado

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• by: Bowman for Senate

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

It’s rare to find a solution to energy problems that has support from farmers and ranchers, hunting and fishing groups, labor unions, conservation groups, and industry. Yet Coloradoans agree that renewable energy sources such as solar and wind offer important benefits for our economy, environment, and rural communities. In fact, our state is recognized as the national leader in what many call “the new energy frontier.” As such, we have a responsibility to seize this opportunity, and do it right from the start.

Poke your head outside anywhere along I-70 and you can feel the power of the wind. Drive across the eastern plains and see acres of crops standing ready to be transformed into next generation biofuels. Stop any Coloradoan on the street and they will proudly tell you that the sun shines 300 days a year in our state. Speak to officials in Logan County and they’ll tell you 1/7 of their county tax base now comes from the Peetz Table wind projects. Fly low across the eastern plains and witness the wellheads to the ocean of natural gas below our prairie that will play a critical role in the development of our wind and solar resources.

Embracing this new energy frontier sets the stage for historic opportunities in rural areas of our state that have in the past had limited options for economic growth. It holds the potential of being the most significant job creator we’ve seen since the oil boom of the 70s-80s.  

Vestas has built a wind turbine plant in Windsor and is working on plants in Brighton and Pueblo. Sun Power Corporation is planning to open a new solar farm in the San Luis Valley later this year. Producers in eastern part of our state are leasing land for wind farms, generating income for families and growing the local tax base to support schools and infrastructure.

However, it’s a new energy frontier, which means that we are forging a path through parts unknown as modern day pioneers. It’s not always going to be easy, but one of the most exciting things about renewable energy is that it fosters collaboration and common-sense solutions to challenges.

Case in point is the Wray School District wind turbine. This innovative community project has been fraught with technical issues. But, like our pioneering ancestors before us who were undeterred by setbacks, the problems will be solved and Wray’s accomplishment will serve as a valuable roadmap for other community-based projects across Colorado, inspiring the creation of new jobs, clean energy, and student achievement.

Or consider the bipartisan proposal that industry, labor, and others put together to increase the renewable energy requirement for energy companies in Colorado. It’s an aggressive, job-creating bill that could result in as many as 100,000 homes being equipped with solar panels, small wind turbines, or other clean energy sources. The bill includes some limits on consumer costs and caveats for changes in federal tax credits and technology costs. A recent Denver Post editorial offered praise for setting “sensible limits” and “a potential off-ramp for distributed generation requirements.”

Common sense is also prevailing at the Department of the Interior, which oversees energy resources on our public lands. Instead of letting proposed projects languish in red tape, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has directed the Bureau of Land Management to fast track proposals for more than 30 renewable energy projects across the West. A native Coloradoan, Salazar also recognizes that while it’s important to move quickly to develop renewable energy, we need to consider potential environmental impacts from the start, taking steps to protect our water, wildlife, and the spectacular landscapes we call home. As he said, “In harnessing renewable resources we act as stewards of our lands – like farmers who harvest abundant supplies but protect the resources that will sustain us for generations.”

Fortunately for our economy, environment, and rural communities, the transition to our clean energy future is happening right here in Colorado. It is up to all to all of us to work together, and use common sense to lead the way.