The Platte River Energy Authority, which provides electrical energy to greater than 350,000 individuals in 4 northern Colorado cities, has been on either side of the carbon-neutral coin.
In 2018, the authority was cheered by environmental teams for presenting an formidable emissions purpose of 100% carbon-free era by 2030, forward of the statewide goal to chop 80% of fossil fuels by the identical 12 months.
Just a few years later, the corporate was harangued by lots of those self same environmentalists for incorporating gas-powered tools into their roadmap for going carbon free.
On Monday, the ability firm met with Larimer County commissioners to clear one of many closing hurdles between them and 5 gas-powered generators, what they’re calling a “bridge know-how” to assist the corporate transition away from their coal-fired plant to a carbon-free future.
The query in entrance of the commissioners is whether or not Platte River Energy Authority ought to be granted a land-use allow to put in the brand new generators at their Rawhide Vitality Station north of Fort Collins, close to Wellington.
Environmental teams and elected officers mentioned shopping for the brand new generators is a giant step again from PRPA’s carbon discount targets, and alleged the corporate deliberately slashed the estimated capability of its renewable sources as a way to justify buying the brand new generators.
“They made up their thoughts from the start that they would want a brand new fuel plant,” Barbara Krupnik-Goldman, from the environmental advocacy group 350 Colorado, advised commissioners throughout public remark. “We all know the assumptions that go into an evaluation will play a giant position within the outcomes that you simply get. On this case, Platte River used assumptions that have been just about assured to get them to the spot of recommending a giant new fuel plant, and guess what, that’s what they’re doing.”
After a prolonged public remark interval and question-and-answer session Monday evening, the Larimer County commissioners determined that, effectively, they aren’t fairly able to determine. The allowing session was prolonged till March 24.
The courageous, new, carbon-free world
Platte River Energy Authority is owned by the cities it distributes power to in Fort Collins, Longmont, Loveland and Estes Park. The corporate’s Rawhide station supplies power to prospects in, by means of a mixture of power sources that shift minute by minute.
The corporate’s largest supply — the coal-fired Rawhide Unit 1, which supplies 280 megawatts of energy — is scheduled to close down on the finish of 2029. The remainder of the ability is equipped by means of a mixture of on-site photo voltaic, wind and pure fuel items, a hydropower plant in Loveland, and two coal-fired items in Craig that PRPA is a component proprietor of. One of many Craig stations is scheduled to shut this 12 months, and the opposite will shut in 2028. A chart that reveals the combo of power prospects obtain over a 24-hour interval is up to date each quarter-hour on the ability authority’s homepage.
So as to hit the statewide goal of 80% diminished emissions from 2005 ranges by 2030, the corporate should exchange pure fuel and coal sources with renewable power sources.
This changeover has created the potential for energy gaps, as photo voltaic and wind may be intermittent sources, and long-term power storage remains to be too expensive for the corporate.
Their answer is so as to add 5 aeroderivative fuel generators, that are extra attentive to energy modifications than the corporate’s 5 present, older generators. The brand new generators are supposed to stabilize the grid throughout instances of spotty energy. The generators act as “shock absorbers,” in accordance with Jason Frisbie, CEO of Platte River Energy Authority.
The ability authority insisted that they’ve been clear with their progress and their course of, and that the generators are essential to deal with reliability points when the renewables aren’t ample, like throughout excessive climate occasions or sustained “darkish calms,” durations with little solar and wind.
“Going into this courageous new world the place we’ve by no means been earlier than, in a market the place we’ve by no means been, we wish as many levers as we are able to to handle this method,” Frisbie mentioned.
The NREL report
Forward of Monday’s assembly, state Reps. Andrew Boesenecker and Yara Zokaie, together with state Sen. Cathy Kipp, all Fort Collins Democrats, despatched a letter to county commissioners urging them to reject the allow till the Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory, or NREL, has regarded over the plans.
Getting an impartial evaluation by NREL has been one of many environmental teams’ major requests over the previous six months, in accordance with Kevin Cross of the Fort Collins Sustainability Group.
When the ability authority launched its 2024 Built-in Useful resource Plan, a report filed each different 12 months, Cross mentioned that the environmental teams, together with Northern Colorado Companions for Clear Vitality and Fort Collins Sustainability Group, have been “not utterly happy, to place it mildly.”
“Larimer County land-use code requires the applicant to first keep away from environmental impacts, then reduce them, then mitigate them,” Cross advised The Colorado Solar. “So, on the ‘keep away from’ piece, we expect an NREL evaluate may effectively present that they don’t must construct any capability.”
The corporate’s Built-in Useful resource Plan analyzes 5 situations to satisfy rising energy demand whereas lowering the reliance on carbon over 19 years, from 2024-2043.
The situations add 600-800 MW of renewable power to account for rising populations, constructing electrification and electrical automobile charging stations. 4 of the 5 situations introduce new fuel items to offset the renewables, starting from 80-240 MW over the following 4 years to as much as 280 MW by 2043.
The corporate selected to pursue the portfolio that introduces 200 MW of fuel energy, the second most carbon intensive of the plans.
Their evaluation reveals an inverse relationship between value and carbon effectivity, with the lowest-emitting plans additionally imposing the very best prices, in addition to a larger reliance on four-hour battery storage.
A center path means that 160 MW of fuel turbine era could possibly be ample, however “is probably not dependable if climate occasions proceed to change into extra excessive as they’ve within the current previous,” the report concludes.
Cross pointed to the 160 MW portfolio as proof that the corporate has not been diligent with their commitments to first keep away from, after which reduce, environmental impacts.
The corporate argued that they should act conservatively with energy estimates as they decarbonize, Frisbie, the CEO, advised the commissioners.
The NREL examine, he mentioned, wasn’t understood to be a part of the method when the fuel generators have been launched in earlier studies, together with in 2020 and 2022.
“Town councils didn’t see it as essential, the board didn’t see it as essential, so we didn’t pursue it. I by no means dreamed it could be used towards us like we have been attempting to cover one thing,” he mentioned.
The corporate has positioned an preliminary deposit on the generators to “maintain their place in line,” an organization spokesperson mentioned, however declined an interview to reply additional questions till the allow matter is settled.
If the commissioners approve the land-use allow March 24, the challenge will endure a technical evaluate to ensure all allow circumstances have been met. The technical evaluate will not be topic to public listening to and no public discover is required.
The authority can even be required to adjust to Colorado’s air high quality laws allowing with the Colorado Division of Public Well being and Surroundings.
