Colorado passes strongest renewable portfolio standard

In Colorado, the State Senate passed H.B.1001, increasing the state’s renewable portfolio standard to 30% by 2020, the strongest standard in the U.S. The bill also mandates that 3% of total electricity sales come from distributed generation systems. This is said to allow energy consumers to lower their electricity bills and should help utilities avoid investments in new transmission systems. H.B.1001 also requires that half of all solar projects developed by investor-owned utilities be located on rooftops or within the distribution network.