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1) Despite everything awful about 2020, there is a remarkable amount of good news on the climate/clean energy front in Colorado. Here 's my take on the 15 top accomplishments, in rough chronological order. #energytwitter #ClimateAction
2) In January, @TriStateGT announced a commitment to retire every coal plant in CO by 2030; followed up by filing ERP at the PUC in December that adds about 2GW of wind, solar , storage and cuts GHG pollution 80% by 2030.
https://www.tristategt.org/tri-state-filing-identifies-1850-megawatts-additional-renewables-energy-storage-2030
https://www.tristategt.org/tri-state-filing-identifies-1850-megawatts-additional-renewables-energy-storage-2030
3) In March, the legislature passed SB 20-167, allows new market entrants that don't have traditional franchised dealer networks full access to the Colorado market, a big step forward for consumer access to EVs. https://electrek.co/2020/03/25/rivian-wins-big-as-colorado-passes-electric-vehicle-direct-sales-law/
4) In April, @COEnergyOffice released the 2020 state EV plan, which sets goals of 940,000 EVs by 2030, nearly 100% ZEV car, truck and bus on road fleets by 2050. https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/24/colorado-electric-vehicles-plans/
5) In June, @COSCityCouncil voted to retire Drake coal plant by 2023, Nixon by 2029, achieve 80% reduction in GHG pollution by 2030 https://www.csbj.com/news/daily/utilities-board-votes-to-retire-coal-at-drake-by-2023/article_c163e968-1900-5f4a-b704-58efa04d2546.html
6) Also in June, the AQCC voted to create new GHG reporting requirements and to phase out HFCs, a very potent GHG used primarily as a refrigerant. https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2020/05/23/colorado-energy-climate-change-greenhouse-gas-hfcs.html
7) In July, the board of @PRPAuthority adopted an ERP to retire Rawhide coal plant and achieve 90% GHG pollution reduction by 2030, setting a new bar for Colorado. https://www.prpa.org/news-releases/platte-river-board-approves-2020-irp/
8) Also in July, @GovofCO signed the 15 state MOU on advancing ZEV trucks, and @ColoradoDOT launched stakeholder process for clean trucking strategy. https://www.cpr.org/2020/07/15/colorado-signs-multi-state-agreement-to-boost-electric-truck-bus-and-big-rig-market/
9) In September, @COEnergyOffice and 4 other agencies released the public review draft of the state GHG Roadmap - the final Roadmap will be released this month! https://www.denverpost.com/2020/09/30/colorado-greenhouse-gas-pollution-reduction-plan/
10) Also in September, the US DOE awarded grant funding to the CCUS project under development by Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, Total Petroleum, and Svante at the Holcim Lafarge cement plant in Florence, in southern Colorado - could sequester 2 Mtons/yr. https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C92ED16F-CCC0-4B66-B8C3-96048A2095E4
11) In Oct., @Lightsourcebp began building 300MW solar plant at EVRAZ steel mill in Pueblo, part of Xcel plans to retire Comanche 1+2 coal plants, new era of low carbon steel production , while helping to preserve good jobs in Pueblo for decades to come. https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/10/lightsource-bp-commences-construction-bighorn-solar-project/
12) In November, Denver voters approved ballot measure 2A by nearly 2-1 margin, which increases the city sales tax by 0.25% and will generate about $40 million a year to invest in a Climate Protection Fund for GHG reduction, climate adaptation, green jobs. https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/climate-sustainability/climate-protection-fund.html
13) In November, the @ColoradoOGCC completed rulemaking to set 2,000 for setback from homes to oil and gas drilling, require evaluation of cumulative impacts on air quality, prohibit routine venting and flaring, prioritize environmental justice. https://coloradonewsline.com/2020/11/23/new-oil-and-gas-rules-given-final-approval-by-colorado-regulators/
14) Then @holycrossenergy, a rural utility serving several mountain counties, announced that not only are they about a decade ahead on their plan to get to 70% renewables by 2030, but are making a new commitment to be 100% carbon free by 2030, setting another new bar!
15) Two days before Christmas, the PUC voted to approve Xcel's first transportation electrification plan – $110 million in investment in charging infrastructure, support for electrification of fleets, rebates for home charging, support for school bus electrification (continued)
16) investment in multifamily charging, public facing fast charging, and rebates to help low income customers acquire electric vehicles. This is a big step forward for electric vehicles in Colorado! https://www.denverpost.com/2020/12/24/colorado-puc-xcel-energy-electric-transportation-plan/
17) Rounding out the year, on New Year’s Eve the Office of Just Transition released the state’s first Just Transition Plan, setting the stage for additional action to support the workers and communities affected by the transition away from coal. https://cdle.colorado.gov/sites/cdle/files/documents/Colorado%20Just%20Transition%20Action%20Plan.pdf
18) Too late to count as 2020, but today @XcelEnergyCO announced early retirements of Hayden coal plants- Hayden 1 in 2028, Hayden 2 in 2027, with no layoffs of plant workers. https://www.westernslopenow.com/colorado-news/xcel-energy-announces-retirement-of-hayden-power-plant/
