As the toxic plume of crude oil continues to billow into the Gulf of Mexico, Colorado’s Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate are gushing to top each other with alternative-energy proposals.
Challenger Andrew Romanoff called Thursday for the U.S. to require that 30 percent of electricity be generated by renewable sources within a decade. The pitch is even tougher than a 25 percent-by-2025 plank in Sen. Michael Bennet’s energy platform.
The nation needs to rally around the oil blowout and “revolutionize energy policy,” Romanoff said. President Barack Obama is “wisely” pushing ahead on a major energy bill while images of the gulf mess are still fresh, Romanoff said.
“Consensus is not something you find under a rock,” he said. “You forge it.”
Romanoff said the U.S. standard should increase to 50 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. He noted that Colorado was among the first states to have a local policy requiring set percentages of utility generation from renewable sources. Colorado voters in 2004 set a bar of 10 percent of electricity from solar, wind, hydro, geothermal or biofuels by 2015.
“We met that goal ahead of schedule — and, on my watch, we doubled it. This year, the legislature and the governor raised the standard again, setting a target of 30 percent by 2020,” Romanoff said. With federal prodding, the entire U.S. should be able to meet the same standard, he said.
Utility-industry researchers said “50 percent is a stretch,” though there is room for major growth in renewable sources.
An industry analysis of feasible technology — that could still be affordable — shows about 21 percent of electricity could come from hydro and renewables by 2030.
Government and industry need to help push that progress by treating the pollution threat the way the space race began with a Soviet satellite in the 1950s, Romanoff said.
“This spill should be our Sputnik,” he said.
Bennet said Thursday he supports the “most aggressive” renewables bill in the Senate, the 25 percent-by-2025 plan.
Romanoff also favors a tax on all carbon sources to combat global warming and promote alternative energy. He has called for a “revenue-neutral” tax, aimed not at raising U.S. revenue but forcing policy changes.
In a debate with Romanoff earlier this year, Bennet said he wanted to consider alternatives to the carbon tax, which he fears would hit consumers too hard.
His staff said Thursday that Bennet is open to the pending debate about carbon taxes or options such as “cap and trade” emissions controls, which would set an overall carbon limit and allow industry to buy and sell credits. The cap would be lowered over time, creating a market for trading while encouraging entrepreneurs to cut pollution.
Michael Booth: 303-954-1686 or mbooth@denverpost.com
