Colorado

Colorado’s legislature approved one of the toughest renewable energy standards in the country on Monday.

Once the governor signs that legislation, utilities will be required to get 30 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020. That follows an agreement Gov. Bill Ritter signed last week with Colorado’s largest utility, Xcel, and a coalition of energy companies and lawmakers to reduce pollution and shift several coal-fired power plants to natural gas by 2017.

The state’s clear move toward renewable energy — and away from coal — stands in stark contrast to some of its neighbors in the West, where the best and some of the worst of clean energy policies are on display.

Here’s a pleasant surprise: Xcel Energy is retiring two coal-fired plants in Colorado and adding 850 megawatts of wind power and a 200-megawatt solar concentrating power plant -- one of the world's largest -- instead.

It’s the company’s first stab at utility-scale solar. Even better: It’s the first time a utility in America has volunteered to shut down a coal plant (let alone two) to slash greenhouse gas emissions.

And therein lies the point. The announcement suggests a serious intention from one of America’s largest coal burners to turn the tide of fossil fuels at a time of economic and energy danger for the nation.