A slam dunk for energy transition

We sometimes have pivots, long in the making but de ned by moments. ey occurred both in basketball and in Colorado energy on May 22.

In basketball, Nicola Jokic and the Nuggets dethroned the King, as LeBron James has long been known, and his Los Angeles Lakers. e Nuggets de ed Vegas oddsmakers but their ascendancy was in plain view for four years. is will be team’s rst nals appearance since entering the NBA in 1976.

In 1977, Colorado gained a national research laboratory, then called the Solar Energy Research Institute. Later renamed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL has expanded its missions to gain energy self-suciency. President Donald Trump in

Call first: 27972 Meadow Dr., #320 Evergreen, CO 80439, 303-566-4100

Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225

Englewood, CO 80110

Phone: 303-566-4100

Web: GoldenTranscript.net

To subscribe call 303-566-4100 tions must be pursued.

2017 wanted to slash its budget. Congress refused.

Solar similarly once seemed like a long reach. Panels have become ubiquitous, and we’re just getting started in Colorado, owing in part to the seeds planted at NREL more than 40 years ago. By decade’s end, Colorado will almost certainly be at 80% renewable energy for our electrical generation and likely higher in some places.

Allen Best

Now, Congress has given NREL another $150 million in a special allocation. One result among several will be a new research facility focused on creating bioenergy capable of fueling airplanes. Commercial airplanes and large business jets account for 3% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA. In Aspen and Vail, I suspect it’s far higher. If batteries can power cars, buses, and even small aircraft, they’re heavy for long-distance air travel. Other solu-

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

KRISTEN FIORE West Metro Editor kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

CORINNE WESTEMAN Community Editor cwesteman@coloradocommunitymedia.com at leaves us at the intersection of uncertainty and exciting opportunities. We still don’t know how exactly we will reach 100% emissions-free electricity nor how we can end emissions from long-haul transportation, concrete production and some other sectors.

At the NREL campus on Monday, U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper captured the essence. “ e future is now,” he

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com said. “In 50 years, we’re going to look back on what’s happening in the next few years as part of this great transition where the world we knew gets left behind.” at change, he acknowledged, will involve loss, a reference to the fossil fuel sectors being displaced. “We have to process that. But we don’t have too much time to spend mourning. We gotta move forward, because the future is now.”

Soon after, tours were conducted of the Research and Integration Laboratory, called RAIL. It will pursue answers to the riddle of plastic recycling to help curtail consumption of fossil fuels. e lab was designed to be exible, though, to help solve other

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Transcript.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.