Balancing renewable and fossil fuels
Colorado has set an ambitious target: achieving 100% net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As your electric cooperative, Sangre de Cristo Electric Association is committed to meeting this goal while ensuring you have reliable, affordable power when you need it most. The path forward requires a thoughtful balance between renewable energy expansion and maintaining dependable baseload sources, such as natural gas plants.
Creating a truly reliable energy grid means considering more than just renewable energy — we must also maintain a certain percentage of baseload resources that enable us to supply you with a reliable source of energy 24/7/365 days a year. In addition to generation assets, we must also factor in transmission infrastructure, and the reality that renewable sources don’t always produce critically necessary power 24/7/365 days a year.
Key to our approach to supplying electricity to members when they need it is our partnership with Tri-State Generation and Transmission, SDCEA’s wholesale power supplier. Through this collaboration, we’re building a more resilient energy system that combines the environmental benefits of renewables with the reliability of traditional sources.
MANAGING PEAK DEMAND AND WEATHER EXTREMES
Renewable energy sources face an inherent challenge: they don’t always generate electricity when we need it most. Solar panels don’t produce power at night, and wind turbines sit idle during calm weather. Meanwhile, energy demand fluctuates dramatically throughout the day and across seasons.
This is where baseload generation sources play a crucial, and in some cases, ongoing role in ensuring a reliable supply of power. During extreme weather events, high-demand periods, or when renewable output drops unexpectedly, these baseload resources ensure the lights stay on. Having multiple generation sources creates the redundancy necessary for a reliable power grid.
Our current energy mix reflects this reality. While we’re rapidly transitioning toward renewables, maintaining diverse generation sources protects against supply disruptions that could leave communities without power during critical times.
John Byers is the CEO of Sangre de Cristo Electric Association. SDCEA’s mission is to safely provide reliable electric energy and services to power the lives of our members and our communities.
