Dive Summary:
- Despite the spike in the wind figures from an early morning reading, wind contribution in the state for 2012 averages 17%.
- Elizabeth Salerno, head of data and analysis at the American Wind Energy Association, says the figure can be replicated “as long as you have a robust, diverse grid,” despite industry concerns that putting too much renewable energy power on the grid may cause unforeseen problems.
- Colorado has ordered its utilities to buy 30% of their power from renewable sources by 2020, which is one of the highest standards in the nation and a leading factor as to why the state is at the forefront of wind power usage.
From the article:
During the early morning hours of April 15, with a steady breeze blowing down Colorado's Front Range, the state's biggest utility set a U.S. record -- nearly 57% of the electricity being generated was coming from wind power.As dawn came and the 1.4 million customers in Xcel Energy's service district began turning on the lights, toasters and other appliances, the utility's coal and natural gas-fired power plants ramped up production and brought wind's contribution back closer to its 2012 average of 17%. ...
