Aspen wants all renewable power
City officials describe it as a way to leverage the cityÂ’s electrical supply to 100 percent renewable sources.
Currently, Aspen Electric operates on about 75 percent renewable sources.
However, the increased costs will not be fully shared. The new rates will be incremental, so that consumers who use more kilowatt hours monthly will pay more.
A consultant, Todd Cristiano, told the Aspen City Council that itÂ’s possible some customers will see a decrease in their rates.
Aspen already buys a great deal of wind-generated electricity from outside sources, and in the 1990s invested in retrofit of a nearby dam, at Ruedi Reservoir, to give it hydroelectric capacity.
It is also refurbishing hydroelectric plants on two local creeks to deliver electricity. Other sources of heat and energy, including ground-source heat pumps and geothermal energy, are also being explored.
Related News

Marine Renewables Canada shifts focus towards offshore wind
HALIFAX - With a growing global effort to develop climate change solutions and increase renewable electricity production, along with Canada’s strengths in offshore and ocean sectors, Marine Renewables Canada has made a strategic decision to grow its focus by officially including offshore wind energy in its mandate.
Marine Renewables Canada plans to focus on similarities and synergies of the resources in order to advance the sector as a whole and ensure that clean electricity from waves, tides, rivers, and offshore wind plays a significant role in Canada’s low-carbon future.
“Many of our members working on tidal and wave energy projects also have expertise…