Colorado’s rural communities could benefit from emerging clean energy as the state closes its last remaining coal plants, according to a new report.
The state’s Energy Office found that new clean energy development — such as carbon capture and sequestration, geothermal energy and hydrogen power — could help replace the economic activity lost after coal plants close. Such investments in emerging technology, as well as in established renewable energy like wind and solar, could also benefit the state’s grid, according to the report.
The report found that new investments come with different benefits, depending on the technology. Wind and solar paired with storage are cheaper and more grid-ready than, for instance, hydrogen or carbon capture. But hydrogen and carbon capture projects create more jobs and property tax revenue.
Will Toor, the head of the Colorado Energy Office, said the study can help inform how rural areas — both in Colorado and in other states — could play a role in the clean energy transition.
