Exporting Colorado's Renewable Energy

Colorado is rich in utility-scale renewable resources, more than enough to meet the state renewable energy standard (RES).  Potentially, large population centers outside of Colorado (like Arizona, Nevada, and southern California) could import excess renewable energy from within Colorado.  A considerable amount of economic, land use, and engineering analysis has been conducted by entities like the High Plains Express to assess Colorado’s export opportunities.  While there may be significant opportunities for Colorado to export renewable energy, high-voltage lines are needed and improvements in state and federal policies are needed to address market risks.