Originally published on Into the Wind. By Peter Kelley Last month, AWEA released a report that comprehensively rebuts claims made by Exelon, the largest merchant owner of nuclear power plants in the country, that the renewable tax credit is significantly affecting its profit margins. Since then, a growing chorus of other nuclear … [continued]
Last week, hundreds of Coloradans gathered at the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to express their support for rooftop solar and net metering (and their opposition to Xcel’s proposals to undermine it). Solar proponents out-numbered supporters of Xcel by a ratio of 16 to one. Net metering is a policy that … [continued]
In December, Xcel Energy’s Frank Prager appeared on CPR’s Colorado Matters and spread blatant untruths about rooftop solar in Colorado. While Prager’s comments are a stark contrast to Xcel’s own carefully-cultivated brand image—after all, Xcel’s slogan is ‘responsible by nature’ – they align perfectly with utilities’ coordinated attacks on rooftop … [continued]
Xcel Energy, an active member of the corporate lobbying organization the American Legislative Exchange Council through 2010, quit ALEC in 2011 to avoid negative publicity. The ALEC business model allows corporate lobbyists to pay $7,000 to $25,000 per year to write draft legislation behind closed doors with state lawmakers. State lawmakers then take the … [continued]
Originally published on Reviving Gaia by Roy L. Hales The relationship between Colorado’s rooftop solar industry and the state’s principal investor owned utility, Xcel, seemed good in 2012. Xcel had reason to be proud of the solar topped schools, homes and libraries that it had partnered with local installers on … [continued]
If you liked the Credit Suisse findings I shared yesterday, you’re going to love this clean energy news out of Minnesota: Administrative Law Judge Eric Lipman this week concluded that Xcel Energy should invest in some large solar power arrays rather than natural gas generators in order to meet projected power needs … [continued]
Originally published on RenewEconomy The price of new power purchase agreements for wind farms and new solar projects in the US continue to defy all expectations, making some energy experts wonder why anyone would contemplate a new fossil-fuel plant. A new report by UBS analysts in the US has crossed … [continued]
On the heels of Xcel’s second failure to stop the citizens of Boulder from taking control of their electricity, the utility is attacking energy choice on another front: rooftop solar. Xcel wants to penalize solar customers and eliminate the fair credit they receive for excess clean energy they deliver to … [continued]
In Colorado, Xcel Energy earlier this year set a new record, generating 60.5% of its electricity using the wind, up from its previous 56.7% record. This took place between 1 AM and 2 AM (local time) on a Friday — not a surprising time, as wind turbines often generate more … [continued]
Originally published on Climate Progress by Mari Hernandez Last week, Minneapolis-based utility Xcel Energy proposed its fourth wind farm in the Upper Midwest since mid-July. If approved, the 150-megawatt Border Winds Project would be developed in North Dakota near the U.S.-Canadian border and produce enough electricity to save customers an estimated $45 … [continued]
