U.S. Rep. Mark Udall said Tuesday he’s certain Congress will pass a long-debated extension of a federal tax credit on renewable energy.
“We will reinstate the (tax credit) before the end of the year — I guarantee it,” the Colorado Democrat said during a news conference on renewable-energy developments.
Udall and other renewable-energy advocates said Colorado’s growing stature in the sector is threatened by Congress’ year-long inability to extend $18 billion in incentives to producers of renewable energy, including wind, solar, clean coal and plug-in electric vehicles.
The current tax credits expire at the end of the year. Congress has failed four times this year to extend the incentives, unable to agree on how to pay for the credits and how, or if, they should be linked to more domestic oil and gas drilling.
Vestas, the Danish wind-energy giant that has major expansions occurring in Colorado, said passage of the renewable-energy credit is crucial to its continued growth.
Vestas recently announced major new wind-turbine plants in Brighton and Pueblo. Including its existing blade-manufacturing facility in Windsor, Vestas plans to have 2,550 employees and $680 million invested in Colorado by 2010.
Roby Roberts, an executive of Vestas, said more jobs could come to Colorado if the firm’s parts and materials suppliers build nearby facilities.
“The supply chain is going to be a big deal,” Roberts said.
Most of Vestas’ wind-turbine parts now come from China and India.
Steve Raabe: 303-954-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com
