The 550 participants at a renewable-energy forum in Denver walked away Tuesday with a unique souvenir: an energy-saving curlicue light bulb.
Known as compact fluorescents, the bulbs last more than 10 times longer than conventional incandescent bulbs and use far less power.
Speakers at the Colorado’s New Energy Economy forum hailed the bulbs for their efficiency and environmental benefits.
The compact fluorescents also highlighted a key message from the forum: No matter how aggressively Colorado pushes for renewable energy, energy efficiency will do more to reduce dependence on fossil fuels than renewables can.
Much of the conference was devoted to Colorado’s progress in generating alternative energy and the state’s prospects for becoming a leader in the sector.
“There is not a state better positioned to lead this discussion than Colorado,” Gov. Bill Ritter said. “We have a gift. We can be a leader on how we move forward with energy.”
Colorado is rated among the nation’s top states in potential for wind, solar and geothermal power. In addition, the state is home to the prestigious National Renewable Energy Laboratory and several university-led energy-research projects.
Yet renewable energy accounts for just 3 percent of the state’s power. It comes primarily from a handful of wind farms and small-scale solar- power generators.
Fossil fuels – coal and natural gas – provide 95 percent of Colorado’s electricity, with the remaining 2 percent coming from hydroelectric and other sources.
“Coal and natural gas are not going (away) any time soon,” said Ron Binz, chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, one of the conference sponsors. “There are some people in this room who hope they will. But you do not turn on a dime when 70 percent of your generation is from coal and 25 percent is from natural gas.”
Binz said Colorado needs a coordinated effort to increase energy efficiency in homes and businesses, build more renewable-energy projects and increase coal and natural-gas output with appropriate environmental safeguards.
Binz conceived the idea for handing out compact fluorescent bulbs during the PUC commissioners’ recent road trip to solicit public feedback on energy issues in several Colorado communities.
The Lowe’s home-improvement chain donated 400 bulbs to the initiative, which proved popular at the meetings.
Extending the giveaway to attendees at Tuesday’s energy forum was a natural, Binz said.
“We thought it was a better choice than paperweights, which is what you usually get in a conference goody bag,” Binz said.
The bulbs handed out Tuesday were donated by Xcel Energy through the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office.
Depending on the manufacturer, each compact fluorescent can last up to 10,000 hours, compared with 750 hours for an incandescent bulb.
Although compact fluorescents cost more – $3 to $6 each – they use about 75 percent less energy for the same amount of light output.
The energy-efficient bulbs contain a small amount of mercury. Disposal should be done at hazardous-waste receptacles.
Steve Raabe: 303-954-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com
What they’re saying
Selected speakers at the Colorado’s New Energy Economy forum:
“We are uniquely situated to be leaders on how this nation produces and consumes energy.”
Gov. Bill Ritter
“Coal and natural gas are not going away. In fact, we’ll need more traditional energy. We need to find a way to do it in an environmentally and socially sensitive way.”
Ron Binz, chairman, Colorado Public Utilities Commission
“We don’t see Colorado’s 20 percent (renewable-energy mandate) as a ceiling. That’s a floor. We can actually go far beyond there.”
Tom Plant, director, Governor’s Energy Office
“Somebody is going to become the Silicon Valley of renewable energy. My job is to make sure that it’s us.”
Don Elliman, director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
“Global warming is happening, and we’re causing it. We’re facing a real crisis today.”
Chuck Kutscher, principal engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
