Clean Renewables and Efficiency, not Coal, are the Key

This statement by Ken Wicker and Karl R. Rábago of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) argues against the increased use of coal for electricity generation in Colorado, advocating instead for a diversified energy portfolio centered on energy efficiency and clean renewable resources.

• The authors oppose a proposal by Colorado State Representative Carl Miller to increase coal use for electricity, arguing that coal is an expensive, polluting, and slow-to-implement solution that does not address the energy demands of Colorado's economy.
• Energy efficiency is presented as a primary solution, with the potential to save up to 70% of current electricity use at a cost lower than current electricity prices.
• The document advocates for distributed energy resources over central station power plants, claiming that the cumulative benefits of right-sized resources—including efficiency and energy management—exceed costs by a factor of ten or more.
• Wind energy is highlighted as a successful renewable resource in Colorado, with modern turbines producing electricity at prices competitive with coal. Specific examples include Holy Cross Energy, which has the highest percentage of customers buying wind power in the country, and Public Service Company's WindSource program, which serves over 14,000 customers in the Front Range.
• The authors suggest a diversified energy portfolio for Colorado that maintains existing coal investments while increasing the use of clean renewables, energy efficiency, and cleaner natural gas.

APA

Wicker, K., & Rábago, K. R. (2000). Clean Renewables and Efficiency, not Coal, are the Key. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E00-34_CleanRenewEffic.pdf

Chicago

Wicker, Ken, and Karl R. Rábago. Clean Renewables and Efficiency, not Coal, are the Key. RMI, 2000. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E00-34_CleanRenewEffic.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Wicker |first1=Ken |last2=Rábago |first2=Karl R. |title=Clean Renewables and Efficiency, not Coal, are the Key |publisher=RMI |date=2 December 2000 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E00-34_CleanRenewEffic.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{wicker2000clean, author = {Wicker, Ken and Rábago, Karl R.}, title = {{Clean Renewables and Efficiency, not Coal, are the Key}}, publisher = {RMI}, year = {2000}, month = dec, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E00-34_CleanRenewEffic.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }