Even if it’s partially by force, Xcel Energy is taking a few big steps\u00a0 into a more realistic\u00a0 energy future. Unlike some people in government and energy, they are not asking us to adapt to global warming,\u00a0 but to buy their renewable energy.*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adaptation to runaway climate change,\u00a0 or to a 4-6 degree temperature rise is most likely\u00a0 impossible.<\/p>\n
It’s a good thing then that Xcel Energy is moving into a new renewable, cleaner energy future in several states.\u00a0 In Colorado it’s not completely out of the goodness of their hearts — it’s because Colorado just passed its new clean air and jobs law. \u00a0 It’s another example of when govenrnment and laws actually work. From Clean Technica:<\/p>\n
“Colorado\u2019 s largest utility, Xcel Energy is shutting down 900 MW of coal plants and replacing them with natural gas power plants. This move by just one utility will reduce the entire Colorado coal power fleet by a staggering 30%. What prompted this rather dazzling move?<\/p>\n
The Colorado Clean Air \u2013 Clean Jobs Act just passed. …\u00a0 All new (or re-powered) electric power plants may not emit more than 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour, effectively ruling out coal burning (without CCS).”<\/p>\n
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) does not yet exist for large commercial coal burning use.\u00a0 It may never operate as promised and it’s still a big question whether it will ever work adequately or even be remotely affordable.<\/p>\n
“All utilities in the state must find a way to achieve the goal. They can replace or re-power coal plants with natural gas or add energy efficiency measures such as combined heat & power, or they can switch to renewable energy sources.\u00a0 . . . . Natural gas is the easy way out, since the state has the third-largest reserves of natural gas. Although natural gas is a fossil fuel that potentially harms drinking water, its contribution to climate change is only half that of coal.”<\/p>\n
Only??\u00a0 Comparing it to coal isn’t saying much.<\/p>\n
Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is finite, like all the others, and it definitely pollutes the air when its processed and burned. Just as bad seems to be the process of hydraulic fracking to get the natural gas out of where it is, often in rock or hard to get at.\u00a0 This process uses lots of toxic chemicals that are mostly unregulated because the energy companies won’t even reveal exactly what is in their fracking formulas.\u00a0 Xcel Energy needs to be pushed to use more wind energy which it’s already using to great effect in Minnesota and South Dakota.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
XCel Energy is building an enormous new wind farm in southern Minnesota.\u00a0 I’ve been down there recently twice in the past 5 years and it’s very windy there and even more so in South Dakota.\u00a0 It’s probably not [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Even if it’s partially by force, Xcel Energy is taking a few big steps\u00a0 into a more realistic\u00a0 energy future. Unlike some people in government and energy, they are not asking us to adapt to global warming,\u00a0 but to buy … Continue reading