On the second reading, the Colorado State Senate voted in favor of HB07-1281, a bill that increases the state's renewable energy standard to 20% by 2020.
According to Environment Colorado, a Denver-based nonprofit organization, the bill includes several key provisions designed to encourage local communities to develop clean energy development projects, including projects initiated by municipal utilities and electric cooperatives themselves. It also sets the first renewable energy standard for all rural electric cooperatives. Under this legislation, all electric cooperatives would be required to get 10% of their electricity from renewables by 2020.
On Feb. 26, the Colorado House passed the bill in a 59-5 vote. (See "Colorado House Approves 20x'20 Bill.") The bill has one more reading before the full Senate before heading to Gov. Bill Ritter's desk, Environment Colorado adds.
