“We stood inside a buzzing wind turbine factory in late March, marveling at locally manufactured turbine components built in Brighton and bound for projects across the country,” U.S. Representative Gabe Evans (R-CO-08) and Hunter Rivera, chairman of the Weld County Republican Party and the Colorado State Director at the American Conservation Coalition, wrote. In their op-ed published in The Colorado Sun, they reflected on an energy tour with The Western Way and The Conservative Energy Network that took them on to Vestas’s wind turbine factory in Brighton, Pivot Energy’s agrivoltaics operation in LaSalle, and Bayswater’s natural gas production plant in Greeley. “In each place, the message was clear: Colorado has the resources, talent and will to power America’s future — if we embrace an all-of-the-above energy strategy,” the authors concluded.
Rep. Evans and Rivera discussed the state’s all-of-the-above energy approach. While Colorado is the fourth-biggest producer of oil and eighth-biggest producer of natural gas in the country, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Colorado Oil and Gas Association adds that the state’s oil and gas molecules are particularly clean, having reduced methane emissions in the area by 56% between 2013 and 2020. Furthermore, clean energy sources, like wind power, generate 39% of Colorado’s electricity. “Colorado as a whole is already well on its way to a true all-of-the-above energy mix,” the authors stated.
Rep. Evans and Rivera discussed the importance of clean energy investments to the state and the 8th Congressional District. The authors cite research by the Clean Economy Tracker that states that private companies have invested $1.1 billion and created about 2,000 jobs in Rep. Evans’s district. Some companies, including Vestas, have even spread their investments across the state. On its website, the wind turbine manufacturer claims it has invested over $1 billion in two manufacturing facilities in Colorado, creating about 1,000 jobs.
“These aren’t just numbers — they represent tangible paychecks for Colorado families and revenue for our communities. This dynamic mix of industries is turning our district, CO-08, into a powerhouse of innovation and job creation that other regions are starting to envy,” Rep. Evans and Rivera note.
Photo Courtesy Vestas
The work is not done, however. The authors wrote, “To keep this momentum going, we must get the policy piece right and provide certainty for the energy companies investing in our state. Unleashing American energy dominance means unleashing all forms of energy in a safe, affordable and reliable way.”
Rep. Evans, for example, in May introduced the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act. The bill would create a federal standard requiring state regulators to consider energy reliability and ratepayer affordability when developing policies. The legislation seeks to address energy cost problems highlighted in research by PowerLines, which found that the average cost of electricity had gone up by 30% since 2021 and that electric bills had gone up for 64% of Americans in the past year. Rep. Evans noted, “This legislation puts Coloradans first by placing a check on the suffocating regulations that continue to make hardworking families foot the bill for their out-of-touch policies.”
Rep. Evans also introduced the bipartisan Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Support Act, along with Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA-25). The bill would bolster the Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit, which incentivizes battery manufacturing and supports the production of critical minerals and components for energy sources like solar and wind power. “CO-08 is already home to several innovative battery manufacturers that are leading the way in onshoring supply chains. As a strong supporter of American-made products representing these manufacturers, I am proud to help introduce this legislation… We will encourage critical clean energy technologies, create good-paying jobs, and enhance U.S. energy security – all things that will help Coloradans,” Rep. Evans noted in a press release.
The Section 45X credit and many other clean energy incentives are at risk in the House reconciliation bill. In its current state, a phase-out for wind components is scheduled for 2027, and a phase-out for the other technologies will follow after 2031. The onus is now on the Senate to defend tax credits that will do so much for Colorado and the nation.
Rep. Evans and Rivera concluded, “Colorado is proof that affordable, reliable and secure energy is not only viable but hugely beneficial. It strengthens our economy, boosts our national security and positions us as a leader in energy innovation and job creation. Now is the time to double down on an all-of-the-above strategy that promotes safe, responsible and cost-effective American energy.”
