- An Alliance For Community Action
- (970) 256-7650
- info@WesternColoradoAlliance.org
Why should business support Colorado cleantech?
Are you a business owner who wants to be heard on the subject of clean, renewable energy?
Colorado is poised to lead the nation in the energy of the future, with some of the cheapest wind and solar rates in the country and clean tech jobs growing at 4.8% a year – twice as fast as Colorado’s labor market. The savings to Colorado consumers will be massive, with a recent analysis finding that the state will save $25.3B with a deep decarbonization strategy of vehicle and heating electrification by 2040.
Rural Colorado, however, risks missing out on this historic new chapter for our economy, with Front Range communities enjoying the vast majority of new investment and jobs benefits.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission is one reason why. Tri-State supplies power to many Rural Electric Associations (REAs) that power Western Slope businesses, but has fought tooth and nail to defend an aging, costly fleet of coal power stations and imposed stringent contracts that demand REAs purchase 95% of their power from the organization — leaving little room for local wind, solar, and battery development. A 2019 study found that Tri-State can save their consumers over $600M with a full switch to renewables – money that’s badly needed in consumer pockets here.
This may all be about to change now that a bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers has placed Tri-State under the authority of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Just as it has with Xcel (a national renewables leader), the PUC is now working with Tri-State to write an Electric Resource Plan that will spell out Tri-State’s next big steps on behalf of Colorado consumers.
Tri-State staff needs to hear from businesses that support clean energy and don’t want us to be left behind. Are you, or do you know, a business owner who supports clean energy? Ask them to join dozens of other businesses in Western Colorado in supporting clean energy by signing this letter to Tri-State today! Not a Tri-State costumer yourself? Many of your costumers and business partners likely are.
Not a business owner yourself but want to be heard? You can do that too with this form!
Want more interesting news from the cleantech world? Check out this week’s exciting announcement on innovative new solar technology from Bill Gates that could transform manufacturing.
Joel Dyar joined our Alliance as organizer for clean and renewable energy in 2019. As a 15-year veteran of community organizing in Colorado and six countries, Joel has worked to help social movements and everyday residents discover their power and make their voices heard on a broad spectrum of sustainability, social, and legislative issues. Joel brings a Masters of Community Development and graduate studies in renewable energy and green business to his work on behalf of our energy future.