A Sensible Energy Policy for Colorado

What I think the legislature should consider this session

Our present energy policy, specifically the carbon reduction emissions, are a disaster. They’re expensive, inefficient, borderline impossible. We need to reset.

Much prettier without windmills or solar farms

I think the legislator should consider a bill that does the following:

Priorities

The priorities for all energy policy are:

1. Provide sufficient reliable power

2. Replace coal plants

3. Provide power at the lowest possible price

4. Reduce carbon emissions

For each of the above, lower priorities are only to be implemented to the extent they have no impact on higher priorities. The largest change here is reduced carbon emissions are only to be implemented where they have no upward impact on prices.

Add in the following specific items:

• This bill overrides/replaces all previous legislation. Particular previous carbon goals and preferences for specific power sources.

• These four prioritized policy points need to be the primary goal of all efforts, decisions, etc. by the PUC, CEO, UCA, and all utilities in the state.

• Acknowledge that this mean we’ll be using gas generation as we wait for battery technology and/or nuclear plants to become cost competitive.

• Eliminate all electrify everything grants, tax breaks, gas price increases, etc. that cost the rate payer as the entity that funds these treatments.

• Eliminate all grants, tax breaks, etc. to subsidize solar, wind, & electric vehicles. You know who installs rooftop solar and buys an expensive EV? Me. You know who covers those subsidies? All rate payers who mostly have a lot less money than me. End steal from the poor to subsidize the rich.

When technology gives us an affordable route to reduced carbon emissions, don’t add requirements, offer subsidies, or any of the other stupid shit¹ we’ve done to date. Instead add a carbon tax.² Adjust it as needed to efficiently reduce carbon emissions. Companies will figure out the best way to do that.

Look, I am a strong proponent of green energy and electrify everything. It is the future. But we can’t break the bank trying to accomplish it before the technology to do so is at a price that won’t bankrupt 90% of the households, businesses, & farms in the state.

And the thing is the existing legislation is not going to get us to some wonderful environmental nirvana in 2040. It’s going to jack up rates which will lead to a Republican resurgence here³, which will then revert us to sanity. Under a Republican state government.⁴

So for the Democratic legislators who don’t give a rip about affordability, make these changes for the sake of keeping Colorado blue.

1. Like subsidizing wind - which makes no sense.

2. Maybe make it revenue neutral by having it replace the business property tax.

3. That will be bad.

4. Very, very bad.