Category: Holy Cross Energy

Clean Energy Means Business Summit highlights renewable energy opportunities and challenges in rural Colorado

11/16/2018

By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth

At the Clean Energy Means Business Summit in Denver this week, representatives of municipalities and companies in Colorado discussed how they are pursuing their renewable energy goals, including navigating the challenges and opportunities of working with electric cooperatives in Colorado. The event, organized by the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association and the Compact of Colorado Communities, also included presentations from solar energy developers, electric utilities, and state officials.

Craig Edwards, Director of Corporate Services at Aurora Organic Dairy, discussed how the company considers a variety of options for on-site renewable energy projects at its operations in Colorado and Texas, and said, “We’re just wrapping up a couple solar installations at two of our dairy farms here in Colorado, they’re our first steps towards our clean energy strategy.”

Edwards said that the Aurora had sometimes faced challenges in working with electric cooperatives as it pursues on-site renewable energy projects, but had found success by discussing the company’s goals with co-op staff. Aurora is still negotiating with other electric cooperatives about future projects:

We’re still working through many different negotiations with many of our co-ops. Each one of our locations we operate in has a unique mix of renewable energy sources and possibilities, we have a co-op for each one generally, so we look at everything on a case by case basis.

Holy Cross Energy plans to shift away from coal, aiming for 70% renewable energy

9/25/2018

By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth

Holy Cross Energy announced last week that it plans to shift its power supplies away from coal and increase its use of renewable energy to 70% by 2030, without any increase in the costs of it power supply. The Glenwood Springs based electric cooperative says the plan would lead to a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 2014 levels.

Holy Cross Energy CEO Bryan Hannegan highlighted why the co-op could shift to renewable energy without increasing costs: “Thanks to advances in technology and changes in energy markets, we have the opportunity to bring on new renewable energy resources at costs comparable to our existing supply. This will enable us to meet our clean energy goals while maintaining the reliable, affordable and safe service our members have come to expect.”

Other electric utilities in the state have also begun to increase their use of renewable energy, taking advantage of the fact that new wind and solar power in Colorado is now cheaper than existing coal plants, and responding to growing demands for cleaner energy from large electricity consumers including municipal governments and some major companies. But Holy Cross Energy is the first electric cooperative in Colorado to establish an ambitious renewable energy target. Let’s look at how Holy Cross Energy plan to achieve its goals.

Screenshot from Holy Cross Energy "seventy70thirty" website

Companies’ 100% renewable energy goals are getting results in Colorado

12/20/2017

By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth

The impacts of corporate renewable energy goals are increasing across three major sectors of Colorado’s economy: skiing, technology, and beer.

Last month I looked at how cities in Colorado are helping push utilities in the region to embrace renewable energy. Communities like Boulder, Aspen, and Pueblo have made 100% renewable energy commitments, and the utilities that serve them are responding with plans to invest in more wind and solar power – although progress is uneven across the various utilities and electric cooperatives throughout the state.

Along with municipalities, several companies with operations in Colorado have also made 100% renewable energy commitments, and those too are getting results, as utilities respond to these major customers with new programs and plans for more clean energy.

Two key trends are boosting the impact of these corporate renewable energy commitments. First, companies are increasingly focused on adding renewable energy near their operations, instead of purchasing renewable energy credits from distant projects. And second, much larger companies have recently made 100% renewable energy commitments, which is significantly increasing the scale of renewable energy needed to meet company goals - and somewhat altering the power dynamic between utilities and their customers.

Let’s look at how these trends are playing out in three industries in Colorado: skiing, technology, and beer.

Clean Energy Means Business Summit highlights renewable energy opportunities and challenges in rural Colorado

Holy Cross Energy plans to shift away from coal, aiming for 70% renewable energy

Companies’ 100% renewable energy goals are getting results in Colorado

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