Environmental Advocacy Groups Fight to Pass HB 10-1001-

Environment Colorado, a Denver-based environmental advocacy organization, and Vote Solar, a San Francisco-based solar grassroots alliance, has released a study entitled, “Investing in the Sun”, which illustrates the environmental and economic benefits of implementing solar electricity on homes and businesses throughout Colorado. The report suggests that installing 1,000 megawatts of solar across the State of Colorado would produce enough energy to power 146,000 homes, create around 23,000 jobs, earn $4.3 billion in fiscal output, save 6.8 billion gallons of water, and avoid 30 million tons of carbon dioxide from being discharged into the atmosphere – the equivalent of taking 670,000 cars off the road. To fulfill this solar objective, both environmental groups are supporting a bill which would require two utility companies, Black Hills and Xcel Energy, to obtain 30 percent of their power from renewable energy sources. If approved, HB 10-1001 would raise the bar for statewide renewable energy applications from the present goal of 20 percent by 2020 to 30 percent by 2020. The bill – in its current form – could provide Colorado with roughly 700 megawatts of solar power installations by 2020, and create around 23,450 new jobs, according to the study. “This report proves what we already know: the New Energy Economy is creating jobs in Colorado for Coloradans,” said State Senator Gail Schwartz in a statement. “By raising our renewable energy standard, we will see thousands of new jobs and prove that Colorado is leading the nation when it comes to innovation.” Take action to support the passage of HB 10-1001 here. The full report is available by visiting VoteSolar.org.