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U.S. District Court in Colorado Maintains Renewable Energy Standard

Friday, May 09 2014

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WASHINGTON, DC – In an important decision, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado today maintained the legality of the Colorado Renewable Energy Standard (RES), which requires utilities to procure up to 30 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020, ruling in favor of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and other defendants, including the Sierra Club and the state of Colorado. In a ruling on May 1, the court also determined that the plaintiffs did not have standing to challenge the distributed generation (DG) carve-out and multiplier portions of the RES.

In response to the ruling, SEIA president and CEO Rhone Resch made the following statement:

“Today marks a significant victory for the people of Colorado, the environment and the renewable energy industry. The court rightly found in favor of sound energy policy, which has led to significant investment and jobs for the state of Colorado. This is yet another example of a failed attack on solar and clean energy by fossil fuel interests.”

In 2013, $233 million was invested in Colorado to install solar on homes and businesses, and there are more than 327 solar companies at work throughout the value chain in the state, employing 3,600 Coloradoans. The 331 MW of solar capacity currently installed in Colorado ranks the state 8th in the country in installed solar capacity and generates enough energy to power 59,600 average American homes.

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Learn more about solar in Colorado

About SEIA:

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.

Media Contacts:

Ken Johnson, SEIA Vice President of Communications, [email protected] (202) 556-2885
Samantha Page, SEIA Press Officer and Communications Manager, [email protected] (202) 556-2886