Colorado Senate advances higher renewable-energy standard (Denver)

Colorado stands just two steps away from enacting the second-highest standard in the country for renewable-energy production requirements by utilities, a designation that Democrats say would bring jobs and Republicans say would drive utility costs through the roof.

The Colorado Senate gave final approval to a bill Friday that would raise from 20 percent to 30 percent the amount of power that Xcel Energy and other investor-owned utilities serving state residents would have to produce from renewable sources.

The new standard would have to be met by 2020 and would put Colorado behind only California, which mandates that 33 percent of its energy come from renewable sources.

Read the full story in the Denver Business Journal.