In this issue:

-Northeast Colorado Study concludes that 94.5 MW of wind energy able to connect to distribution lines

-Formation of Intermountain Harvesting Energy Network announced at December 7 Luncheon

-Ethanol requirement in Denver metro gas kept for at least 2 more years

Northeast Colorado Study concludes that 94.5 MW of wind energy able to connect to distribution lines

A study released this month found that a significant amount of wind energy can be interconnected to a local rural electric association’s distribution lines without making improvements to the system. In fact, it determined that 63 large commercial-scale turbines could be interconnected to Highline Electric Association’s system with a capacity of 94.5 MW.   The study, entitled Distributed Wind Generation Study for Northern Colorado, was commissioned by the Colorado Governor’s Office of Energy Management and Conservation (OEMC) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America program.  The study was conducted by Thomas A. Wind and Andrew T. Coil with Wind Utility Consulting.  The full report can be viewed by clicking on following link to the OEMC’s web site:  www.colorado.gov/oemc/programs/renewable/windenergy/study/default.htm.

Highline Electric Association’s (HEA) distribution grid was used for the study which serves Sedgwick and Phillips Counties and portions of Yuma, Washington, Logan and Morgan counties.  HEA’s distribution system includes 5,021 miles of line providing power to 9,851 meters.  HEA provided design and operating data to the study enabling the consultants to analyze 17 of the Association’s load serving distribution substations connected to 69 kV or 115 kV transmission lines.  HEA’s service territory has a peak load of 180 MW during the height of the irrigation season.  During the non-irrigation season the peak load is 40 MW.

The study employed two scenarios in their analysis to determine the ability of turbines to interconnect with the current distribution system.  First, it determined how far away a GE 1.5 MW turbine could be connected from each substation and not cause power quality problems. Second, it determined how many turbines can be added to each of the 17 substations without causing power quality problems or overloading conductors or substation transformers.

Formation of Intermountain Harvesting Energy Network announced at December 7 Luncheon

In a crowded room at the Renaissance Denver Hotel, more than 100 people listened to the former Colorado House Speaker Lola Spradley announce the development of a regional renewable energy network called the Intermountain Harvesting Energy Network (IHEN).  The Network is being built through a March 27-28 Summit in Loveland, CO bringing leaders together from agriculture, government, education, utilities, business and environmental advocacy groups.

The March Summit will include presentations from the Western Governors’ Association’s Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative which is developing a plan and examining the feasibility for the development of 30,000 MW of clean energy by 2015 (www.westgov.org/wga/initiatives/cdeac/index.htm). 

The IHEN is being guided by a steering committee that includes the Colorado Farm Bureau, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Environment Colorado, Colorado Working Landscapes, Independent Bankers of Colorado, Colorado State University, Colorado Department of Agriculture, 25x’25 Ag Energy Workgroup and the U.S. Department of Energy.  Ms. Spradley, IHEN Chair, stated, “We are doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time for the right reasons.”  She added that it is very important for the state and region to address the obstacles for renewable energy development and to overcome them.  The Network plans to recruit leaders from six other states including Arizona, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming

Ross Manley with Senator Allard’s Office addressed the audience with an overview of the Senator’s support for renewable energy and efficiency.  Mr. Manley stated the development of renewable energy will result in energy independence which will lead us to greater national security.  He added, “It is simply good policy to do all we can to effectively harness and utilize the natural, clean, re-usable sources of energy that are abundantly all around us.”   

David Hiller with Senator Salazar’s Office stressed that this is an important time for rural communities to take control and ownership of the renewable energy projects that are coming.  He stated that Fortune 500 companies now realize renewable energy’s potential and are racing to develop projects.  Mr. Hiller stressed we must consider how dollars will flow to “main street” and not all be lost to “Wall Street.”   

Ethanol requirement in Denver metro gas kept for at least 2 more years

At a hearing on December 15, the state Air Quality Control Commission voted to remove the Denver-area from Federal gasoline standards, but to maintain the state’s oxyfuels program through 2007.  The program requires a 10% ethanol blend during winter months for the Denver metro area. 

The requirement began in the Denver area in 1989 as a way reduce carbon monoxide pollution and improve combustion.  Since that time carbon monoxide levels have dropped 50%.  State environmental regulators claim the cleaner air is due in large part to improved emissions technology now standard on cars.  However, the Colorado Corn Growers Association recently reported that research by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory concluded a 10% blend of ethanol in gasoline will significantly reduce carbon monoxide auto emissions, tailpipe particulate matter, and reduce CO₂ emissions (a greenhouse gas).     

Calendar of Events

U.S. Senator Salazar’s Renewable Energy Summit, January 11, King Center on the Auraria Campus, Denver.  More information and to register visit www.salazar.senate.gov. 

Wind Power and Wildlife in Colorado, January 23-25, Fort Collins Ramada Inn.   More information at http://wildlife.state.co.us/species_cons/WindPowerWildlifeSymposium.asp. 

Colorado Agricultural Outlook Forum, “New Realities; New Opportunities”, February 22-23, Renaissance Hotel, Denver.  More information at www.ag.state.co.us/CAOF/Home.html. 

Sustainable Opportunities Summit, February 22-25, Colorado Environmental Business Alliance (CEBA/P3), Boulder, Millennium Hotel.  More information at www.p3colorado.org/events/eventShowDetail.jsp?inx=45.

Intermountain Harvesting Energy Network Summit, March 27-28, The Ranch at Larimer County Fairgrounds & Events Complex, Loveland, CO. For more information contact 303-283-3524, or frank@workinglandscapes.com.   (Information available by January 6 at www.HarvestEnergy.org).

Innovative Ideas for the New West, May 12-14, Sopris Foundation, Aspen Institute, Aspen, CO. Learn of best practices in land-use, transportation, and renewable energy from flagship initiatives in the West and Europe.  More information available at www.soprisfoundation.org or contact Piper Foster at 970-925-2521, piper@soprisfoundation.org.

National Solar Conference, July 8-13, Denver Adams Mark Hotel, 16^th St. Mall.  More information available at www.solar2006.org. 

Colorado Working Landscapes

www.workinglandscapes.com

Email: information@workinglandscapes.com

Phone: 303-283-3524

Colorado Working Landscapes (CWL) is a landowner-driven coalition of interests dedicated to the advancement of public policies and private initiatives to conserve land, preserve and sustain agriculture, and enhance landowner values while recognizing public benefits.