Poudre Valley Electric sets "80 by 2030" carbon free goal

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

Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) announced today that its board of directors established a goal to provide 80% carbon-free energy to its members by 2030. PVREA's carbon free goal is the first by an electric cooperative that is consistent with new state climate legislation signed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis last week, which encourages "the development of clean energy plans that will require greenhouse gas emissions caused by Colorado retail electricity sales to decrease eighty percent by 2030."

“Establishing the ’80 by 30’ goal is our first step toward increased reliance on carbon-free energy sources,” said Jeff Wadsworth, president and chief executive officer of PVREA in a press release. “By setting this ambitious goal, we have the opportunity to proactively address Colorado’s evolving regulatory environment and manage costs associated with potential future regulatory requirements.”

Steve Szabo, one of the PVREA members who has urged the co-op to embrace clean energy, said: “I am elated that the PVREA board, CEO and staff are working toward a carbon free electric generation portfolio. The move forward will benefit our local economy and environment. Thank You PVREA!”

Poudre Valley Electric provides more information about its 80 by 30 goal on its website, including the opportunities and challenges that the co-op expects in meeting the goal. PVREA says reaching the goal depends on the following advancements:

 »  An organized energy market must exist, with Tri-State G&T, the Co-op’s wholesale power supplier, and PVREA as active participants
»  Battery storage technology must advance while costs continue to decline
»  Transmission and distribution systems must be fully integrated
»  Advancements must be made in grid management systems
»  Improved distributed generation resource performance
»  Active development and adoption of consumer energy management systems


Carbon free goal and new state policies will require action by Tri-State 
Meeting PVREA's goal will also require a major shift by the co-op's wholesale power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Like each of the 43 co-ops that buy power from Tri-State, PVREA must purchase 95% of its energy needs from Tri-State, which currently generates about half of its power from coal.

PVREA is the second largest member of Tri-State, accounting for about 8% of Tri-State's electricity sales. In September 2018, the PVREA board directors urged Tri-State to study its fuel mix, while also noting that it helped form Tri-State and “has a vested interest in Tri-State to be successful."

Tri-State will also be required to significantly reduce its carbon pollution because of new legislation signed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis last week. One bill clarifies that the Colorado Public Utilities Commission will oversee Tri-State's resource planning, and ensure that Tri-State's resource plan "meets the energy policy goals of the state." Another bill, the Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution (HB19-1261), establishes economy-wide emissions reduction goals and encourages "the development of clean energy plans that will require greenhouse gas emissions caused by Colorado retail electricity sales to decrease eighty percent by 2030."

That climate bill also specifies that clean energy plans filed by electric cooperatives and municipal utilities "shall be deemed approved by the Public Utilities Commission" if they "achieve at least an eighty percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions caused by the entity's Colorado retail electricity sales relative to 2005 levels, and the clean energy plan has previously been approved by a vote of the entity's governing body."

Governor Polis published a Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy by 2040 and Bold Climate Action, which details the state's progress toward the Governor's climate and clean energy goals, including the policies that ensure Tri-State's resource planning supports Colorado's climate goals: "We're building a regulatory framework that will enable the PUC to work with our second largest utility to transition from coal-fired power to cheaper, cleaner sources of renewable energy."

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PVREA joins other Colorado utilities with clean energy and carbon goals
Poudre Valley Electric is the fourth electric cooperative in Colorado to establish a clean energy or carbon goal, joining Holy Cross Energy, Grand Valley Power, and La Plata Electric Association. PVREA's 80% carbon free by 2030 goal is more ambitious than the other co-ops' goals, although Holy Cross Energy's deal with Guzman Energy means it now expects to reach its 70% clean energy goal in 2021, nine years ahead of its original 2030 goal.

​Major utilities neighboring PVREA have also set carbon free goals, including Xcel Energy, the largest utility in Colorado, which plans to reduce emissions 80% below 2005 levels by 2030 and aim for 100% carbon free electricity by 2050.

In December 2018, Platte River Power Authority established a goal for a 100% carbon free energy mix by 2030. Platte River Power Authority provides electricity to the municipal utilities in Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, and Estes Park, while Poudre Valley Rural Electric provides electricity to much of the region surrounding those cities.

Further reading:

Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association 80 by 2030
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Governor Polis  Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy by 2040 and Bold Climate Action

More Colorado co-ops announce clean energy goals

Poudre Valley Electric requests Tri-State policy changes and fuel mix study

Colorado Public Utilities Commission will oversee Tri-State resource planning

​Poudre Valley Electric and Xcel Energy Colorado President win national awards from Smart Electric Power Alliance