Xcel Energy is a multi-state power producer that includes Colorado. Across their entire eight state energy portfolio, 50% was carbon free in 2023. This included Biomass, Hydroelectric, Nuclear plants, Solar panels and Wind turbines. The remaining 50% is sourced from natural gas and coal. Below is a graphic specific to Colorado.

Xcel Energy is a multi-state power producer that includes Colorado. Across their entire eight state energy portfolio, 50% was carbon free in 2023. This included Biomass, Hydroelectric, Nuclear plants, Solar panels and Wind turbines. The remaining 50% is sourced from natural gas and coal. Below is a graphic specific to Colorado.

Phase one

• Reduce carbon emissions by more than 80% by 2030 from 2005 levels. 
• Responsibly retire their coal operations by 2030. 
• Add more renewable energy resources to the grid.

Phase two
 
The approved portfolio will add approximately 6,100 megawatts of new generation, making it the largest clean energy portfolio in state history. The mix will be 670MW of natural gas, 1,720 of solar, 1,840 of wind and 1,850 for storage and grid reliability. 
 
A few of the benefits of the plan Xcel touts include:

• Delivers affordable and low-cost clean energy options to our customers.
• Meets or exceeds the state’s emission reduction targets (which call for an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030).  
• Enhances grid reliability even under extreme weather conditions, increases flexibility and meets local energy needs.  
• Supports our transition to fully exit the use of coal by the end of the decade and will reliably transition a significant portion of our generation fleet with 20 new projects. 

They are heading in the right direction and whatever your thoughts are on natural gas, it is likely to be a reasonable portion of the portfolio mix for quite some time while coal diminishes, rightly so, in a few years. 
 
Tom Kohler
Director of Climate Action