DENVER – A La Plata County energy official says the county is well-positioned to meet new carbon-pollution standards, thanks in part to renewable energy like solar.
Michael Rendon, president of the La Plata Electric Association board, spoke ahead of a report released Thursday by Environment Colorado that highlights that Colorado ranked 10th nationwide for total solar power capacity per person. The report is called “Lighting the Way.”
The announcement comes as the Environmental Protection Agency last month issued a final rule mandating that carbon-dioxide emissions must be reduced by 28 percent in Colorado and 32 percent nationally by 2030. Colorado health officials are working on a state-specific plan to meet the requirement.
“I don’t think we should have a problem meeting it,” Rendon said, speaking on behalf of himself, as the LPEA board has not taken a position on the issue. “I think it’s a good program. I like that it provides flexibility for states in how they want to operate it.”
The situation is a bit unique for LPEA, as it is a member of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which consists of 44 different cooperatives. The burden really falls on Tri-State, though Rendon believes compliance should not be a problem.
Colorado is blessed with sunshine, which helps move away from traditional energy sources.
Policies in the state also have positioned Colorado well for a transition.
A past Solarize La Plata campaign helped connect people with solar, exceeding expectations with 101 systems installed. Organizers are now moving to a campaign for Archuleta County. It’s led by a group of community volunteers.
The program offers limited reduced-pricing on photovoltaic systems for residents and businesses.
“This program got them to take that leap and go into solar and look into it further, and I think a large part of that is due to the outreach that was done by our steering committee and groups of volunteers,” said Sarah Rank, an energy-efficiency and alternative-fuel vehicle program specialist for Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency, or 4CORE, which administered the Solarize La Plata program.
Meanwhile, Rendon said LPEA will continue with its solar investments. Of its 42,000 meters on the grid, LPEA gets about 4 percent of power from solar, a number that is expanding, he said. About 715 members are participating in rooftop solar and another 74 share a community solar garden from four systems.
“Solar power, coupled with smart energy policy, it can provide economic development, energy security and a healthier environment, all in one,” Rendon said. “We really only see this program as growing.”
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
On the Net
Environment Colorado’s “Lighting the Way” report: http://bit.ly/1POt7hN
