Download Colorado’s renewable electricity PDF
Renewable Mandate Status: On Track
- 2009 Estimated Qualified Renewable Percentage: 5.7%[i]
- 2009 Mandate: 5%
- 2020 Mandate: 10%
Eligible Resources: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, new hydroelectricity with a nameplate rating of ten megawatts or less, and hydroelectricity in existence on January 1, 2005 with a nameplate rating of thirty megawatts or less.
Compliance schedule:[ii]
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Renewable Portfolio History: Colorado was the first US state to create a RPS by ballot initiative in November 2004. This initiative originally required utilities serving 40,000 or more to generate or purchase renewable-energy for 10% of sales. HB 1281 in March 2007 increased the RPS and extended requirements to cooperatives. HB1001 in March 2010 increased RPS for investor-owned utilities to 30% by 2020.[iii]
- Each KWh of eligible renewable energy generated in-state, other than retail distributed generation, receives 125% credit for compliance purposes. Every KWh of eligible renewable energy generated from a community-based project receives 150% compliance credit.[iv]
Credit Trading: Yes
Noncompliance penalty: The PUC determines how much compliance would have cost and requires to the utility to pay that amount, but the utility may not recover the cost from customers.[v]
Electricity Price Ranking: 21st Highest[vi]
- 9.14 cents/KWh in Colorado
- 7.67 cents/KWh in non-mandated states
[i] Energy Information Administration, Electricity Generation 2009, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/generation_state_mon.xls.
[ii] Code of Col. Regulations 723-3-3654 (July 2, 2006), http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/rules/723-3.pdf.
[iii] Database of state Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency, Colorado, http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=CO24R&re=1&ee=1.
[iv] Code of Col. Regulations 723-3-3654 (July 2, 2006), http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/rules/723-3.pdf.
[v] 4 Code of Colorado Regulations 723:3: Rules Regulating Electric Utilities, http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/rules/723-3.pdf.
[vi] EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B., Average Retail Price of Electricity, June 2010, Released Sept. 15, 2010, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_b.html.
