Xcel - Independence Institute

Reliance on Solar Projects Threatening Colorado’s Outlook on Grid Reliability 0
- Energy
- October 5, 2022
As Colorado moves to retire legacy fossil-fuel power plants in order to meet Governor Polis’s goal of 100% renewable energy by 2040, the state is increasingly reliant on wind and solar to meet our electricity needs. And now, thanks to supply chain snarls hitting the solar industry, our ability to keep the lights on next
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Sky High Gas Bills Coming This Winter 0
- Energy
- September 23, 2022
Last week I wrote about the costs and consequences of underrating natural gas infrastructure, which are currently most pronounced in New England this winter in the form of exorbitant bills and inadequate supply. But it turns out Colorado, while being in better shape than our northeastern counterparts, is not immune to the disruptions roiling the
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Smart Thermostats Are Looking Like Dumb Policy 0
- Energy
- September 21, 2022
Earlier this month Xcel Energy made national headlines when it locked out 22,000 customers in Colorado from adjusting their thermostats as temperatures rose into the 90s. Those affected were customers who had signed up for the Colorado AC Rewards program, which allows the company to adjust the temperature setting on internet-connected “smart thermostats.” In exchange
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New DOE Study Finds 5 Coal Plant Sites in Colorado That Could Convert to Nuclear 0
- Energy
- September 13, 2022
A brand new study released today from the Department of Energy (DOE) finds multiple locations in Colorado that could benefit from a coal-to-nuclear power transition. The study authors examined both operational and recently retired (within the last 10 years) coal plants across the country to screen for siting characteristics deemed favorable for a nuclear conversion.
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What Not to Do: California Energy Policy Serves As a Warning to Colorado 0
- Energy
- August 31, 2022
Just days after finalizing a future ban on the sale of gas-powered vehicles, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) sent out a bulletin Tuesday afternoon warning that an expected heat wave posed serious threats to the reliability of the state’s electric grid. Starting tomorrow through Tuesday, California and the West are expecting extreme heat that
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Study: Shoddy Public Charging Infrastructure Hampers EV Take-Up 0
- Energy, Environment
- August 22, 2022
Policymakers at both the national and state levels are making a concerted effort to encourage the widespread adoption of electric vehicles among the general public. Here in Colorado, the Polis administration has set a goal of having 940,000 EVs on the road by 2030 as part of its plan to electrify the state’s transportation sector
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