Tracking
Public Policy for Colorado's Renewable
Energy Harvest Network
From
Colorado Working Landscapes, March 12, 2004,
Volume 1, Issue 6
This newsletter supports the Colorado Renewable
Energy Coalition's Rural Initiative by bringing
information to rural constituencies during
Colorado's 2004 Legislative Session. If you
would like to be added to the distribution list
or taken off please send an email to
frank@workinglandscapes.com.
Critical
Senate floor vote on HB 1273 either Friday or
Monday; Last minute call to Senators requested.
Coalition organizations are asking their
members to get a phone message to
their Senator as soon a
possible (303-866-2316). "We are going to need
every vote we can get" said Farm Bureau
lobbyist, Tracee Bentley. Agriculture,
banking, industry and environmental
organizations are asking senators to support
the bill and two amendments, one by Senator
Isgar and another by Senator Hillman. "We are
asking senators to resist any other amendments
and certainly don't want the bill to go back
to committee" Bentley continued.
The Isgar Amendment increases the amount of
new and existing hydro that can be counted
toward the standard to 20 megawatts.
The Hillman Amendment states that if the
Public Utilities Commission finds, based upon
an evidentiary hearing, that renewable
resources are more expensive than new
resources, the Commission shall defer the
requirement.
A statement of support for HB 1273 and an
analysis of the Hillman Amendment (see below)
is being distributed to Senators by the
following leading rural organizations:
- Colorado Association of Conservation
Districts
- Colorado Dairy Farmers
- Colorado Farm Bureau
- Colorado Livestock Association
- Colorado State Grange
- Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee
- Independent Bankers of Colorado
- Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
The statement describes renewable energy as
"...an emerging issue bringing new economic
opportunities, constituencies, policy options
and, unfortunately, a fear of change. Adoption
of HB 1273 (with the Isgar and Hillman
amendments) will signal acceptance of
agricultural communities as a new partner in
the development of Colorado's energy and
economic future."
___________________________________________
Compromise
Amendment for HB 1273 negotiated with Bill
Sponsors
Xcel Energy and Governor Owens' staff secured
support for the Hillman Amendment from bill
sponsors and then Coalition negotiators. The
amendment replaces a strict legislative
mandate with delegation of authority to the
Public Utilities Commission and its least-cost
planning process.
Despite reservations, members of the Colorado
Renewable Energy Coalition decided to accept
the amendment. Ron Lehr, former chairman of
the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and
Western Representative for the American Wind
Energy Association said, "We can support
the amendment because the standard is still
achievable. As long as gas prices remain high
and the federal Production Tax Credit is
reinstated we can expect low bids from wind.
It's the coalition you have created that has
got us to this point and it's the coalition
and public opinion that will keep the PUC
process honest."
___________________________________________
Analysis of the Hillman Amendment
By
John Covert, Colorado Working Landscapes
Executive Director
Senator Hillman’s Amendment requires the PUC to
select the least-cost source of new electric
generation even if it means deferring the
renewable energy standards contained in HB
1273. In affect, the decision to enforce a
Renewable Energy Standard is shifted from the
Legislature to the PUC, a more restricted venue.
When
direct cost comparisons between alternative
generation proposals are nearly equal,
ancillary benefits can be considered by the
PUC.
Supporters believe megawatt targets contained
in the bill can be achieved and that rural
Colorado communities will receive substantial
economic benefits. However, the least-cost
requirement of the Hillman Amendment overrides
incentives in the bill for renewable energy
development to occur within
Colorado.
Incentives for solar and biomass development
are effectively eliminated by the Amendment.
Due to transmission constraints, most wind
development will occur in Colorado, at least
in the near term.
Consistent with the Amendment, Xcel Energy
will present data and cost analysis to the PUC
for its least-cost determination. This
analysis will contain proprietary information
and subjective judgment. Rural
Colorado
will look to Xcel for a good faith effort to
achieve the goals set out in HB 1273. There
are good reasons to expect no less.
Renewable energy advocate, Jim Nichols who is
a former Minnesota State Senator and former
Commissioner of Agriculture, spoke to a joint
meeting of the House and Senate Agriculture
Committees on February 18, 2004 and to the
Colorado Agricultural Outlook Forum the
following day. He was highly complementary of
Xcel’s professionalism in implementing the
Minnesota Renewable Energy Standard and for
their support for community ownership
strategies. Furthermore, Xcel has joined the
Colorado Renewable Energy Coalition in support
of HB 1273. The Coalition will remain engaged
with Xcel as the venue for implementation of
the Colorado Renewable Energy Standard shifts
to the PUC.
Rural interests understand that renewable
energy development requires a continuing
partnership with environmental, industrial and
governmental interests. Adoption of HB 1273 is
only a first step in realizing economic
benefits renewable energy will deliver to
rural communities.
___________________________________________
Register Now for the Colorado Wind & Distributed
Energy: Renewables for Rural Prosperity
Conference 2004
April 13 & 14 - The Doubletree Hotel Colorado
Springs - World Arena
The
Governor's Office of Energy Management and
Conservation (OEMC) along with the U.S.
Department of Energy's Wind Powering America
is hosting its second biennial conference on
wind and other distributed energy
technologies. Other primary sponsors include
the Western Area Power Administration and Holy
Cross Electric. Case studies and discussions
will help educate farmers, ranchers,
Colorado citizens, corporate
leaders, municipalities and rural electric
cooperatives about the economic and
environmental benefits of utilizing
distributed energy sources.
Secretary of Energy Spencer
Abraham, Colorado Governor Bill Owens, and
Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera, have
been invited to kick off the conference on
Tuesday morning. The agenda for Tuesday,
April 13, will focus on Wind Energy. Experts
from across the country will provide a
step-by-step "how to" guide and tools for
successful wind project developments including
public ownership, local equity, and
public-private partnerships.
Wednesday's event, April
14, will feature Distributed Generation topics
including creating power from forest thinning,
hydrogen projects, distributed generation
devices (e.g. fuel cells, microturbines,
Stirling Engines), and anaerobic digestion
technology.
The conference is open to
the general public at a cost of $85 for
advanced registration, and $95 after March
22.
__________________________________________
Colorado Working Landscapes (CWL) is a
landowner-driven public policy forum seeking to
build communication bridges between divergent
interest groups while striving for win-win
solutions. Our goal is to keep Colorado's
agricultural landscapes intact, both
economically and ecologically, while respecting
private property rights and local control.
__________________________________________
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