Xcel Energy said its previously announced plan to deliver 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2050-part of a movement derided by some as unfeasible and too costly-is backed up by a new report showing recent and dramatic progress.
Last year, the Minneapolis-based utility cut its carbon emissions 3 percent below 2017 and 38 percent from 2005 levels. Xcel’s more immediate goal is a 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
The company is adding wind, solar and lower-emitting natural gas-fired generation while retiring coal plants. Xcel’s report features climate modeling scientists who conclude that the company’s reduction trajectory is consistent with scenarios likely to achieve temperature goals from the Paris climate accord.
“We are well positioned for the future and are focused on putting the right technology and policies in place to make our vision a reality,” said Ben Fowke, chairman, president and CEO, Xcel Energy. “Our 2018 carbon results demonstrate the significant gains we’re making in the transition to clean energy while still maintaining safe, reliable and affordable service for our customers.”
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted the agreement in 2015, including the U.S. under the Obama Administration. One of the goals was to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The Trump Administration has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris accord, saying it would disadvantage the U.S economy to the benefit of other nations. The National Academy of Sciences criticized perceived flaws in research supporting the move to 100 percent green energy.
Many U.S. utilities, however, has proceeded with robust clean energy goals, saying that switching to wind, solar and gas had economic and environmental benefits over continuing to operate coal-fired units.
MidAmerican Energy, based in Iowa, and other utilities have announced aggressive goals toward 100 percent renewables or close.
(Rod Walton is content manager for Power Engineering and POWERGEN International. He can be reached at 918-831-9177 and [email protected]).
