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Summit examines renewable energyBy Larry Dreiling Over 125 producers, manufacturers, lenders, venture capitalists and public officials gathered in Akron, Colo., recently for the Sunny Days Alternative Energy Summit. The summit was organized by the Small Business Development Center at Morgan Community College. Attendees heard presentations on energy crop production, biodiesel, wind and solar energy, and anaerobic digesters, along with speeches by numerous political figures. Top among them was Sen. Ken Salazar, D-CO, who expressed his admiration for those involved in renewable energy in the state. Salazar said this involvement recalls the 1970s when Presidents Nixon and Carter called for increased energy independence. "What happened after that? America slept. In the 1980s under President Reagan and early 90s under President Bush, Democrats and Republicans alike, America slept," Salazar said. "The consequences today are that we have gone from the early 1970s when we imported 30 percent of our oil to today when, in March of this year, the United States imported 67 percent of its oil from foreign countries. Are we going to get serious? "The question is whether we are going to get serious about a sustainable, clean energy future that does the things we were supposed to do 30 years ago. It's because of events like this today that we are seeing this awakening of America to the reality of the 21st century." Salazar called national security, the economy and environmental security the three main drivers of the current energy policy. "We are funding both sides of the war on terror," Salazar said. "While our 270,000 soldiers are fighting in Iraq, we know that those IEDs are funded by the money we are putting in the pockets of terrorists in the Middle East. That's happening in Iran, Syria, and those forces that are enemies of the United States." Salazar said questions must be asked about volatility of fuel prices and the way to answer them is with the use of domestically produced renewable sources of energy. "Even the President of the United States says he wants to pull together the free world to deal with the issue of global warming because of what is happening with carbon emissions in our atmosphere," Salazar said.
We've come a long way Colorado's alternative energy industry has come a long way since he was first elected to the Senate in 2004. "At that time I had to go to Nebraska and Kansas to look at an ethanol plant," Salazar said. "We've done a lot in a short period. Where once we had an empty field, we have Sterling Energy producing 50 million gallons of ethanol a year and roughly 25 jobs have been created. One new job in rural America is a real shot in the arm." Salazar also cited plants under construction including Front Range Energy's 40 million gallon ethanol plant near Windsor, Panda Energy's facility 115 million gallon ethanol plant at Yuma and biodiesel plants under construction in Costilla and Dolores counties. Xcel Energy has broken ground on a 8.2-megawatt solar power plant in near Alamosa. Salazar said company officials foresee 100 megawatts of power could be produced at the plant. "Who even thought we'd be where we are today with alternative energy," Salazar said. "By the end of the year, the state of Colorado will be generating 1,500 megawatts of wind power. An average coal-fired plant produces 350 megawatts a year. In just a short time we've gone from nothing to producing the equivalent energy of four coal-fired plants." 25-by-25 legislation sought Salazar said he sees this is a start to pending legislation setting forth a mandate that 25 percent of all energy resources in the U.S. will be generated from alternative sources by 2025. "We know we can do more. It just can't stop with ethanol," Salazar said. "We need to move forward with a whole new agenda that includes cellulosic ethanol so we aren't just depending on corn as a feedstock for ethanol." Salazar said that includes increasing the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard to 35 miles per gallon while permitting exemptions for farm vehicles. During the upcoming Senate debate over the 2007 farm bill, Salazar said he will propose adding $280 million in annual grants and loan guarantees to assist producers and small rural businesses to invest in new energy technologies and to increase the cellulosic tax credit to $1.11 a gallon. "We will also add another $200 million for investment in research and development of renewable energy sources," Salazar said. "We also want to add a Micro Turbine Wind Energy Investment Tax Credit so we can bring the tax credits we give to commercial wind farms down to you, the producer. "You can install a small wind turbine outside of your house or your barn, that would produce all the energy you need at your place of residence or business. The proposal would create a $4,000 tax credit for those of you who would install one of these turbines." Challenge not so daunting U.S. energy imports stand at 67 percent, Salazar said, but added the challenge of reducing dependence on foreign energy is not as daunting as the challenges that were faced by those of an earlier generation that fought in World War II. "The greatest generation gave us the strongest country in the world," Salazar said. "They gave us a sense of possibility. If they could accomplish all they did, the challenges we face are not that big." While Salazar expressed a large vision for the nation's energy future, Bob Mallander, the new eastern plains regional representative of the Governor's Energy Office (GEO), discussed how his new job shall aid Gov. Bill Ritter's vision of leading the state to a new energy economy by advancing energy efficiency, renewable and clean energy resources. "Colorado has a unique combination of natural and intellectual resources that sets us apart from other states: Colorado is the sixth sunniest, the 11th windiest, and fourth best for geothermal potential," Mallander said. Building a "collaboratory" The intellectual resources include Golden's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University and the University of Colorado, all of which have been placed in a "collaboratory" in which all institutions will work together so we can leverage our intellectual and financial resources. The Colorado General Assembly has committed $6 million to fund the collaboratory, Mallander said, which will be funded up to $2 million per year for three years. "This will be used especially when applying for federal matching grants," Mallander said. "In addition, agriculture is one of our biggest economic resources and provides the feedstock for ethanol, biodiesel and other alternative fuels." The goals of GEO will include successfully implementing energy efficiency programs statewide; helping to attract and develop the renewable energy industry in Colorado; working with community groups, local governments, businesses and residents; working through the legislature and the Public Utilities Commission to remove barriers to renewable energy investment and to develop an infrastructure to support the new energy economy. "The whole point is to change the way we think about energy," Mallander said. Larry Dreiling can be reached by phone at 785-628-1117 or by e-mail at ldreiling@aol.com. 9/24/07
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