Although the project was completed last year, the addition of 1.6 MW of solar panels to the 2 MW system that provides roughly half the energy needed to power the Denver International Airport (DIA) tram system demonstrates the role solar can have in a carbon economy. The large array partially “offset[s] the environmental and monetary [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Xcel Energy’
Last Year Denver International Airport Added Another 1.6 MW of Solar
December 31st, 2011 
Eric Wilson 
Posted in Eric Wilson, Renewable Energy 
Tags: Bio-fuels, Denver, Electricity Generation, Natural Gas, Solar Energy, Xcel Energy 
No Comments »Governor Ritter Question and Answer Session
November 26th, 2011 Eric Wilson A few days ago I wrote up the presentation given by former Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter. Ritter currently holds the position of Director and Senior Scholar at Colorado State University’s Center for the New Energy Economy (CNEE). After his 30 minute speech, he took questions from the audience. What follows are notes from the question [...]
Bill Ritter Presentation: Clean Energy and the Environment in America
November 17th, 2011 Eric Wilson Earlier this week I attended a presentation by former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. This is the second time I’ve heard Ritter speak, once while he was still in office and the other on Monday. Both presentations touched largely on the role of clean energy in the US economy. Ritter, who served one term, left office [...]
Denver Federal Center Completes 2nd Solar Installation
July 6th, 2011 Eric Wilson The Denver Federal Center, home to numerous federal agencies, recently finished installing the second photovoltaic array. Located in the western suburb of Lakewood, the Federal Center is located just south of Highway 6 and on the new light rail line that will run out to nearby Golden starting in 2013. According to 9 News, The [...]
Posted in Eric Wilson, News, Renewable Energy Tags: Carbon Dioxide, Coal, Colorado, Denver, Photovoltaic, Solar Energy, Stimulus Bill, Xcel Energy No Comments »Why Should Electric Utilities Offer Rebates?
April 10th, 2011 2nd Green Revolution After writing about Xcel Energy’s back and forth disappearing, reappearing solar rebate (under the Solar*Rewards program), I was challenged to consider both the necessity and validity of utilities discounting the installation of rooftop photovoltaic systems. Since we here at 2nd Green Revolution enjoyed the intellectual exercise that flowed from our first “debate” (which continues now [...]
Xcel Energy’s SmartGridCity Update, I Think
March 22nd, 2011 Eric Wilson The other day we received a comment on a story from September of 2009. The post mentioned the Smart Grid City in Boulder, Colorado. Xcel Energy, the area’s utility, was laying the groundwork for implementation of smart grid technology. The original post stated, “Participation in the program is not mandatory.” However, the comment claimed they [...]
Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards Rebate Partially Reinstated
March 21st, 2011 Eric Wilson Last month news of Xcel Energy’s decision to cut the Solar*Rewards rebate (which was first offered five years ago) for solar installations rocked the industry. A former co-worker informed me that he and his wife had planned on installing a photovoltaic array on their roof in a Denver suburb. However, the reduction in rebates made [...]
The False Promise of Efficiency
January 9th, 2011 Eric Wilson Energy efficiency is not enough. While it is an integral part of an energy management plan and an essential first step to reducing energy consumption and increasing economic savings, a look at the overall consumption of energy, especially from non-renewable sources, indicates that society has failed to make a significant dent in the total energy [...]
Posted in Energy Efficiency, Eric Wilson, Op-Ed Tags: Boulder-Colorado, Energy, Population Growth, Xcel Energy No Comments »
