Colorado’s governor has signed into law a bill requiring 30% of the state’s energy mix come from renewable sources by 2020.
In one of the boldest renewable energy standards set thus far, Colorado’s governor Bill Ritter has signed into law a bill requiring 30% of the state’s energy mix come from renewable sources by 2020. Which means, in the next 10 years, Colorado will get nearly a full third of its power from wind, solar, and other clean sources–now that’s some serious progress.
The move gives Colorado the 2nd highest renewable energy standard of any state in the US, coming in just behind California’s 33% requirement by the same time.
From E&E, via CP:
Ritter said at a signing ceremony that Colorado’s efforts to create a friendly business climate for renewable energy has attracted pioneering companies such as wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems A/S.
The bill emphasizes home electricity production using devices such as solar panels and small wind turbines. State officials have predicted that 100,000 Colorado homes could begin producing energy because of state programs.
On top of all that, Aspen Daily News cites a report that predicts that the bill will end up producing 33,500 jobs, and injecting a whopping $4.3 billion into the state’s economy. The bill will reduce carbon emissions by an amount that’s equivalent to taking 670,000 cars off the road. Not bad, Colorado.
Via Treehugger
