If you became a member of CforSE within the past year then you are probably one of the 2,300 people who signed our petition calling on Fort Collins City Council to set the goal of generating 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030. It is a goal that over 60 cities around the country have adopted including Longmont. A handful of cities claim to have already achieved this goal. I say claim to because what they are doing is "net 100%". They are still using electricity generated by fossil fuels but are buying enough renewable energy to offset the fossil fuel usage. This is a great thing to do, but it is a little disingenuous to claim 100% renewable.

The Northern Colorado Partners for Clean Energy (of which we are a part) are pushing for 100% generated renewable energy by 2030. The difference is that we need to store excess energy generated by wind and solar for use when the sun don't shine and the wind don't blow. Storage technology isn't quite there yet to make this happen in an affordable way but is expected to be by 2030. Nay sayers say that we shouldn't set this goal because we don't have a clear path to achieving it. To which I quote President Kennedy. In 1961 he wanted the U.S. to go to the moon by 1969. We didn't know how to do it, but we set the goal and we got it done. Our goal is much more attainable.

In May we (Fort Collins Partners for Clean Energy) presented a draft resolution for city council to adopt this goal. Mayor Troxell balked at the idea of a "grand statement" claiming that the goal was only a political statement. Council directed staff to research the idea (see above). The funny thing is that to achieve our climate action goals we almost certainly have to achieve 100% REx2030. The Mayor loves the "grand statement" of our Climate Action Goals and touts it all across the country.

You can help by writing Mayor Troxell and City leaders (cityleaders@fcgov.com) and asking him to adopt the 100% renewable energy by 2030 goal.