U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

February 23, 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


 Sen. Salazar Addresses CO Committee on Renewable Energy and Delivers Recommendations To Top State Officials About How CO Can Lead the Way to America’s Energy Independence

WASHINGTON— United States Senator Ken Salazar kicked off the first meeting of the Colorado State House Select Committee on Renewable Energy today, outlining his vision of the future of renewable energy and the positive impact it can have on Colorado and the country. He also released a letter sent to Governor Bill Owens, Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, and House Speaker Andrew Romanoff with recommendations as to how Colorado can be the national center for renewable energy research, development and production.

“Colorado has the natural and human resources to become the renewable energy capital of the Nation,” said Salazar. “NREL is developing incredible new energy technologies and Colorado already has ethanol plants producing tens of millions of gallons of ethanol from corn annually with more plants under construction. We have wind farms on the eastern plains and more on the way. A bio-refinery in Denver is now producing millions of gallons of bio-diesel each year and is about to increase its capacity by 50%. The San Luis Valley has world class solar resources suitable for concentrating solar power, and capable of generating utility-scale electric energy.

“We must seize this moment to achieve America’s energy independence and cement Colorado’s leadership role in that effort.

“In light of the significance of renewable energy to our national security, economic competitiveness and to the future of rural and agricultural Colorado, I have requested that the State’s leaders support a broad vision resulting from the renewable energy summit held last month in Denver.” The entire letter can be read by clicking here, but the most important recommendation Senator Salazar made was to leverage the research capabilities and reputation of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to elevate Colorado’s renewable energy sector by creating:

  • A Colorado renewable energy research institute and business incubator, including the Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University and the University of Colorado, in association with NREL, to facilitate the development of new renewable energy technologies and the transfer of emerging technologies from NREL and our state universities to the commercial sector; and

  • A state entity, such as a state renewable energy authority, with a secure funding source to provide grants, loans and other incentives to researchers and to producers of renewable energy.

Senator Salazar recently released the findings and recommendations from the 2006 Colorado Renewable Energy Summit he hosted last month in Denver. That report can be viewed by clicking here.

At today’s meeting of the Colorado State House Select Committee on Renewable Energy, Senator Salazar kicked off the meeting by stressing several points regarding the importance of achieving America’s energy independence and our Nation’s dangerous addiction to foreign oil.

Salazar told the committee that he recognized the fiscal constraints under which they are operating, but urged creative and innovative thinking in creating policies and incentives for the development of renewable fuel sources.

The Senator pointed to the Colorado Water and Power Authority and the Colorado Water Conservation Board as examples of legislative innovation that focused attention on issues of state-wide concern and provided planning and funding to prepare Colorado for the future. Noting that other states are spending tens of millions of dollars each year to promote renewable energy industries within their states, the Senator offered his cooperation and assistance to the Committee. He congratulated the legislators on renewable energy bills already pending.

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