Transportation matters greatly for solar and battery manufacturers. But what about Colorado’s coal towns?
Author: Allen Best
Allen Best publishes the e-journal Big Pivots, which chronicles the energy transition in Colorado and beyond.
BIG PIVOTS: Tribal Voices at the Colorado River Table
Native Americans were not invited to craft the Colorado River Compact in 1922. Now they insist they must be part of solutions…
BIG PIVOTS: Trustafarians on the Colorado River, Part Two
“I wasn’t surprised by the two-million acre-feet,” recounted Mitchell at the conference. “It wasn’t rocket science. It was addition and subtraction…”
BIG PIVOTS: Trustafarians on the Colorado River, Part One
“So we have what are referred to as the trustafarians, which is a tribe of people who live off their trust funds…”
BIG PIVOTS: Colorado Democrats Gather to Celebrate the Republican River
A revision of federal regulations may help Colorado meet irrigation reductions on a river in eastern Colorado… and slow the decline of the Ogallala Aquifer…
BIG PIVOTS: ‘Breakthrough Energy Catalyst’ Awards $20 Million to Energy Storage Projects
Wired Magazine in a March 2023 story entitled “Why Rust is the Future of Very Cheap Batteries,” explained that the five-cofounders set out to build a better battery…
BIG PIVOTS: Electric Cooperatives and the Big Bad Wolf
Highley wants them to be wary of turbulence ahead. The theme of the two-day gathering was “resiliency.” And, of course, Tri-State is resilient….
BIG PIVOTS: What Fenberg’s Energy Bill Does — and Does Not Do
Proposal would trim Xcel’s sails and start pushing back on natural gas expansion, but falls far short of a major overhaul…
BIG PIVOTS: High Hopes for Hydrogen? Maybe Not… Part Two
“If you emit some hydrogen into the atmosphere now, it will lead to a progressive buildup of methane in the following years,” said Princeton’s Matteo Bertagni…
BIG PIVOTS: High Hopes for Hydrogen? Maybe Not… Part One
Both Xcel and Colorado state government issued press releases this week announcing that the states — New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah, in addition to Colorado — had submitted their application…
BIG PIVOTS: A Mystery Within a Climate Change Pep Rally
A press conference to highlight Colorado’s climate and energy bills… but why did the governor now support carbon reduction goals for 2035-2045?
BIG PIVOTS: Water Challenges on the Republican River
Climate scientists issue their latest, stern warning while farmers in Colorado’s Republican River Basin grapple with how to be sustainable…
BIG PIVOTS: What Will a ‘Three Wire Winter’ Do for Lake Powell?
Driving twisting, snow-covered county roads made me tense, but the whitened landscapes blanketed by snows filled me with joy…
A Tale of Colorado’s Biggest and Smallest Coal Mines
Two mines named Elk both increased production in 2022. But long term? By the simple numbers, the outlook does not favor their prospects…
BIG PIVOTS: The Perfect Recipe for Decarbonizing Colorado? Part Two
Schonhaut contends the profits of Xcel should be shaved by about a percentage point. That would save Colorado consumers more than $100 million a year…
BIG PIVOTS: The Perfect Recipe for Decarbonizing Colorado? Part One
“We simply must end our reliance on costly fossil fuels and improve energy security…”
BIG PIVOTS: Emission-Free Electricity?
The new iron-air batteries will be able to use chemical processes to store electricity and then discharge it for up to 100 hours…
Mountain Parks Electric Gives Notice
Mountain Parks Electric has served notice that it intends to leave Tri-State Generation and Transmission by January 16, 2025. “The board looked at a number of factors and made the determination that now would be the time to give notice of our intent to exit,” said Mark Johnston, the general manager of the Granby-based electrical READ MORE