Last Updated: July 17, 2025

Overview

Colorado, a Rocky Mountain state, has 58 mountain peaks higher than 14,000 feet, the most of any state.^1,2 At the southwestern-most point of Colorado is the Four Corners Monument, where four states, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, meet—the only place in the nation where four states intersect at a single point.³ Colorado has abundant fossil fuel reserves and renewable energy resources.⁴ Its diverse geography includes the headwaters of major rivers; significant wind and solar energy resources; and substantial deposits of crude oil, natural gas, and coal.^5,6,7,8 Colorado ranks among the top 10 states in total energy production.⁹ Colorado is the eighth largest state in terms of land area, at about 104,000 square miles.¹⁰ The vast eastern plains of Colorado, beginning at elevations of over 3,500 feet along the Kansas border, gradually rise westward toward the Rocky Mountains that run through the center of the state, peaking at 14,400 feet.^11,12,13 About 7 in 10 Colorado residents live in metropolitan areas along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains, leaving much of the state's mountainous areas and plains sparsely populated.^14,15

Weather fronts can move in from the west across the mountains or from the east across the plains. Temperatures vary widely, depending on elevation and season, and have reached records of 114°F on the plains and 60°F below zero in the mountains.¹⁶ Colorado is a winter sports destination, and about 1 in 25 houses is occupied only seasonally.^17,18,19

Colorado has a diverse economy. Despite its energy intensive mining and oil and gas industries, the amount of energy used to produce one dollar of Colorado's GDP is less than in about three-fourths of the states.²⁰ The largest contributors to the state's GDP include finance, insurance, and real estate; professional and business services; and government.²¹ Several major military installations are based in Colorado, including the United States Air Force Academy, U.S. Northern Command, and Fort Carson.²² For the fiscal year 2023, the federal defense sector contributed $13 billion to the state's economy.²³ Partly as a result, Colorado's per capita energy consumption is lower than nearly two-thirds of the states.²⁴ The transportation sector is Colorado's leading energy consumer, accounting for about 33% of the state's total energy use, followed by the industrial sector at 26%, the residential sector at 23%, and the commercial sector at 18%.²⁵

Petroleum

Colorado is the fourth-largest oil-producing state and accounts for about 4% of U.S. total crude oil output.²⁶ The state has 2% of the nation's economically recoverable crude oil reserves.²⁷ In 2024, Colorado produced more than five times as much crude oil than a decade earlier, primarily from the increased use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies.^28,29 The state's crude oil production in 2024 was the highest in five years.³⁰

Most of Colorado's crude oil production comes from the Niobrara Shale formation located in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in northeastern Colorado, where crude oil output in one county, Weld, is the source of 8 out of every 10 barrels of crude oil produced in the state.^31,32 The Wattenberg field, much of which is in Weld County, in the northern part of the state, is among the top 10 U.S. oil and natural gas fields based on proved reserves.^33,34 The Piceance Basin in the western mountain region is the other primary crude oil-producing area in Colorado.^35,36

Northwestern Colorado overlays part of the Green River oil shale, a kerogen-rich formation.^37,38 Kerogen is an organic material found in some sedimentary rocks that can be heated to extract crude oil.³⁹ Although pilot oil shale projects were attempted in the area, obtaining crude oil from kerogen is not currently economically viable.^40,41

Colorado has two petroleum refineries in the Denver area, with a combined capacity to process 103,000 barrels of crude oil per calendar day into motor gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, jet fuel, and other petroleum products.^42,43 Colorado is home to several oil pipelines, which transport crude oil from the Denver-Julesburg Basin to refineries and storage hubs within and outside the state.⁴⁴ Demand for refined petroleum products in Colorado is almost three times more than the state's refining capacity.^45,46 Several petroleum product pipelines, primarily from Wyoming, Texas, and Kansas, help supply the Colorado market, and refined products are also brought in by rail and truck.^47,48,49,50 A 230-mile refined petroleum products pipeline is being built from Scott City, Kansas, to Denver International Airport, which is scheduled to be completed in mid-2026.⁵¹

In May 2024, Colorado's governor signed legislation into law that enacted a new fee on oil and gas production and changes the state's pollution laws, which became effective on July 1, 2025. The legislation imposes a sliding-scale fee, equivalent to a surcharge of about 0.5% on each barrel of oil produced. This fee will be used to fund public transit and efforts by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to acquire and conserve wildlife habitat to offset the impacts of oil and gas development.^52,53 The legislation gives the state's Energy and Carbon Management Commission more power to enforce ozone regulations and provides funding to present orphaned wells, which can leak methane. It would also codify a mandate for oil and gas producers to reduce emissions of ozone precursors.^54,55

The transportation sector accounts for more than four-fifths of all petroleum consumed in Colorado, mostly as motor gasoline and diesel fuel, followed by the industrial sector with about one-tenth. The residential and commercial sectors accounted for nearly all the rest, with a small amount of petroleum used for power generation by the electric power sector.^56,57 The Denver-Boulder and Fort Collins metropolitan areas use motor gasoline oxygenated with ethanol to limit smog formation.^58,59 The rest of the state is allowed to use conventional motor gasoline.⁶⁰ Colorado has three fuel ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 166 million gallons per year. Those facilities use corn as their feedstock.^61,62

Natural gas

Colorado has the eighth-largest natural gas reserves of any state, accounting for about 3% of the U.S. total.⁶³ It is also the eighth-largest natural gas-producing state in the nation.⁶⁴ Colorado's marketed natural gas output increased in 2024 for the first time in four years, but was still lower than the peak production of almost 2 million cubic feet in 2020.⁶⁵ Colorado is home to all or part of 12 of the nation's 100 largest natural gas fields.⁶⁶

Colorado's largest natural gas-producing regions are in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in the northeast and in the Piceance Basin in the west.⁶⁷ As natural gas prices fluctuate, some drilling activity moved from the Piceance, which produces mainly dry natural gas, to the Denver-Julesburg Basin, which produces higher-value crude oil and natural gas liquids. The San Juan Basin that stretches across the Colorado-New Mexico border is also a major natural gas-producing area, though output there has declined in recent years.^68,69,70,71

Colorado is the top producer of coalbed methane gas, which is a type of natural gas extracted from coal seams.^72,73 Production of coalbed methane gas grew rapidly in the 1990s and usually accounted for about one-third of Colorado's total marketed natural gas production during that period. Production of coalbed methane declined about 50% from 2010 to 2023. However, Colorado remains the top coalbed methane-producing state, accounting for about one-third of U.S. production in 2023.^74,75,76 The San Juan and Raton Basins, located in the southern part of the state in the counties of La Plata and Las Animas, produce nearly all of the state's coalbed methane.^77,78,79

In 2024, the electric power sector overtook the residential sector as Colorado's largest consumer of natural gas, accounting for 33% of the state's natural gas demand.⁸⁰ Natural gas consumption for electricity generation has increased for the past three years, as natural gas prices declined.^81,82 The residential sector, where about 7 out of 10 Colorado households use natural gas as their primary home heating source, accounts for about 31% of the state's natural gas use.^83,84 The industrial sector accounts for 22% of the state's natural gas use, followed by the commercial sector at about 14%. The state uses only about one-fourth of the natural gas it produces.^85,86

Several major interstate pipelines cross Colorado and ship natural gas to 10 U.S. states, with the largest volumes going to Wyoming.^87,88 The state has two natural gas trading hubs at interstate pipeline interconnections.⁸⁹ The Cheyenne hub, near the Colorado-Wyoming border, is located in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, and the White River hub is located in the Piceance Basin.^90,91 Colorado has 10 underground natural gas storage fields with about 141 billion cubic feet of combined storage capacity, equal to about 2% of the U.S. total.^92,93 The state's storage capacity increased between 2008 and 2018, but has remained steady since then.⁹⁴

Coal

Colorado ranks eighth among the states in estimated recoverable coal reserves.^95,96 The state produces coal from both underground and surface mines.⁹⁷ Currently, mining is focused in the Green River, Piceance, and San Juan Basins.^98,99 Colorado's coal is used almost entirely for electricity generation, but the market for the state's coal has decreased and several Colorado mines have closed as the share of U.S. electricity generated by coal-fired power plants continues to decline.^{100,101,102,103} Coal production in Colorado saw a slight increase in 2021 and 2022, but declined in 2023 and remained relatively flat in 2024.^104,105 About two-fifths of the coal mined in Colorado is used for power generation within the state. Coal mined in Colorado is also transported for electric power generation or used at industrial plants in 17 other states, and a small amount is exported to overseas markets.^106,107,108

Electricity

In 2024, natural gas-fired power plants and wind energy each accounted for 29% of Colorado's total electricity net generation, with both surpassing coal-fired generation for the first time. Coal-fired power plants accounted for 27% of state generation in 2024, down from 60% in 2014.¹⁰⁹ Colorado's power plant operators plan to continue replacing coal-fired capacity with generating capacity fueled by natural gas and renewable energy sources due to economic and regulatory considerations.^110,111,112 The 138-megawatt natural gas-fired Mountain Peak power plant is scheduled to come online by mid-2025.¹¹³ By 2029, about 2,500 megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity in Colorado is scheduled to retire.¹¹⁴ Most of the rest of Colorado's in-state electricity generation was provided by solar energy and hydroelectric power.¹¹⁵

Colorado does not have any nuclear power plants.¹¹⁶ In April 2025, Colorado's Governor signed a bill into law recognizing nuclear power as part of the state's clean energy portfolio.¹¹⁷ Additionally, part of the Uravan Mineral Belt, which has deposits of uranium, as well as vanadium, a critical mineral, and radium, is in the southwestern part of Colorado.^118,119 No uranium has been mined in the state since 2005, but there are 29 active lease tracts and uranium mining could begin again, with one proposed project in Coyote Basin in northwestern Colorado.^{120,121,122,123}

Colorado uses less electricity per capita than three-fourths of the states.¹²⁴ The commercial and residential sectors are the largest consumers of electricity in Colorado. They each account for about 37% of the state's total power use, followed by the industrial sector at 26%.¹²⁵ About one in four Colorado households use electricity as the main home heating source.¹²⁶ For the last three years, in-state generation exceeded total electricity consumption, but the state can receive electricity from Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, and Utah over the high voltage interstate transmission lines of the regional grid.^127,128 June 2023 marked the groundbreaking for the TransWest Express project, a new 732-mile transmission line that will extend from south-central Wyoming through northwestern Colorado and central Utah, ending in southern Nevada. Once completed, the transmission line will provide 3,000 megawatts of new transmission capacity. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2029.^129,130

In May 2025, Colorado had 2,433 public electric vehicle (EV) charging locations, the seventh highest total among the states.¹³¹ Colorado ranks eighth in the nation with almost 120,000 registered EVs.¹³²

Renewable energy

In 2024, renewable sources of energy accounted for 43% of Colorado's total in-state electricity net generation, a record high. Wind power accounted for the largest share of Colorado's renewable electricity generation at 67%, followed by the combined 27% for utility-scale (1-megawatt or larger) photovoltaic and small-scale (less than 1 megawatt), customer-sited solar. Hydroelectric power accounted for 6% and biomass was less than 1%.¹³³

Colorado has significant wind energy resources on its eastern plains and mountain crests and ranks seventh nationwide in installed wind power generating capacity.^134,135 The state's use of wind power more than doubled between 2014 and 2024.¹³⁶ The newest wind power project is the Bronco Plains Energy Center, which added 200 megawatts of capacity, from 72 turbines, and came online in December 2023.^137,138

Colorado has substantial solar resources, especially in the south near the New Mexico border.¹³⁹ At the end of 2024, Colorado ranked 14th among the states in utility-scale solar power-generating capacity with 2,341 megawatts installed.¹⁴⁰ An additional 817 megawatts of solar power capacity is scheduled to be operating by the end of 2026.¹⁴¹ Small-scale customer-sited solar panel systems increased by almost 20% in 2024 and accounted for almost one-third of the state's total solar generation in 2024.¹⁴² Colorado offers net metering and customers can receive incentives and credits from their municipal utility or electric cooperative for installing solar panels.^143,144,145

Colorado has 65 mostly small hydroelectric generators, ranging in size from 500 kilowatts to 87 megawatts, with a total installed capacity of 693 megawatts.¹⁴⁶ The state also has three pumped-storage hydroelectric plants, with a total generating capacity of about 580 megawatts.¹⁴⁷ Pumped-storage hydroelectric plants generate electricity during peak demand periods, when power prices are higher, using water pumped into an elevated storage reservoir during off-peak periods and then releasing it to flow back to a lower reservoir through turbine generators when additional power is needed.^148,149 Two new pumped-storage hydroelectric plants are being proposed, one in south-central Colorado and the other in the northwest.^150,151

Colorado's only utility-scale woody biomass-fueled generating plant came online in 2013 and burns waste gathered from surrounding forests.^152,153 The state also provides tax breaks to promote biomass generation from anaerobic digestion, which collects and burns the biogas produced from livestock manure or food waste to generate electricity.^{154,155,156,157}

Colorado has a number of hot springs, and studies indicate that the state has significant geothermal energy potential.¹⁵⁸ Colorado's Governor in 2024 approved $7.7 million in grant money to support 35 private geothermal developments.^159,160 This effort follows two bills signed into law in 2022 to foster geothermal technologies.¹⁶¹ The state's geothermal resources are mainly used for heating or cooling homes, businesses, recreational pools, and Colorado's state capitol building in Denver.^162,163 Consumers can receive tax credits for installing geothermal heat pumps.¹⁶⁴ Currently, Colorado has no utility-scale projects that generate electricity with geothermal energy.¹⁶⁵

In 2004, Colorado became the first state with a voter-approved renewable portfolio standard (RPS). The state's legislature amended the RPS several times, and the RPS now requires 30% of electricity sold by investor-owned utilities to be generated from renewable energy sources, with 3% from small-scale distributed generation. Separate requirements apply to municipal and cooperative electricity suppliers, depending on their size.¹⁶⁶ The state's largest investor-owned utilities have met this 30% requirement and continue to add renewable energy and storage to their electricity generation portfolios.^167,168,169 In January 2021, Colorado released its Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap detailing how the state plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26% from 2005 levels by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 100% by 2050.¹⁷⁰

Endnotes

¹ U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts, accessed June 2, 2025.
² History.com, U.S. States, Colorado, accessed June 2, 2025.
³ Colorado Tourism Office, Discover the Four Corners Region: Things to do, updated July 22, 2024.
⁴ Colorado Geological Survey, Energy, accessed June 2, 2024.
⁵ Colorado Encyclopedia, Colorado: An Overview, accessed May 14, 2024.
⁶ U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Direct Normal Solar Irradiance (February 22, 2018).
⁷ U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, WINDExchange, Wind Energy in Colorado, accessed June 2, 2024.
⁸ Colorado Geological Survey, Non-renewable Energy, accessed May 14, 2024.
⁹ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table P5B, Primary Energy Production Estimates, Renewable and Total Energy, in Trillion Bru, Ranked by State, 2023.
¹⁰ Colorado Tourism, Colorado Travel Fact, accessed June 2, 2024.
¹¹ Hughes, Jessica, "Discover the High Plains of Colorado," Uncover Colorado (April 5, 2025).
¹² Colorado Nature Plant Society, Plains Life Zone, accessed June 24, 2025.
¹³ The Guide Maps, Topography United States of America, Topography Colorado, accessed June 24, 2025.
¹⁴ North American Community Hub Statistics, Map of Colorado - Cities, Geography, Counties & Stats (2025), updated January 13, 2025.
¹⁵ U.S. Census, 2020 Census: Colorado Profile, Population Density by Census Tract.
¹⁶ Colorado State University, Colorado Climate Center, Climate of Colorado, updated January 2003.
¹⁷ Colorado Tourism Office, Winter Activities, accessed June 24, 2025.
¹⁸ U.S. Census Bureau, Tables, Table B25004, Vacant Housing Units, Colorado, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
¹⁹ U.S. Census Bureau, Tables, Table B25002, Housing Units, Colorado, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
²⁰ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data Systems, Table C10, Total Energy Consumption Estimates, Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Energy Consumption per Real Dollar of GDP, Ranked by State, 2023.
²¹ U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Interactive Data, Regional Data, GDP and Personal Income, Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State, SAGDP2, GDP in current dollars, Colorado, All statistics in table, 2024.
²² Military OneSource, MilitaryINSTALLATIONS, Colorado Installations, accessed June 24, 2025.
²³ U.S. Department of Defense, Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, State Fact Sheets - Colorado, accessed June 2, 2025.
²⁴ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C14, Total Energy Consumption Estimates per Capita by End-use sector, ranked by state, 2023.
²⁵ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C11, Total Energy Consumption Estimates by End-use Sector, Ranked by State, 2023.
²⁶ U.S. EIA, Crude Oil Production, Annual-Thousand Barrels per Day, 2019-24.
²⁷ U.S. EIA, U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Proved Reserves, Year-end 2023 (June 25, 2025), Table 6, Crude oil plus lease condensate proved reserves, reserves changes, and production, 2023.
²⁸ U.S. EIA, Colorado Field Production of Crude Oil Annual Thousand Barrels, 1981-2024.
²⁹ U.S. EIA, "Hydraulically fractured horizontal wells account for most of new oil and gas well," Today in Energy (January 30, 2018).
³⁰ U.S. EIA, Colorado Field Production of Crude Oil, Annual-Thousand Barrels, 1981-2024.
³¹ "Denver-Julesburg Basin Overview," REXTAG (May 2, 2023).
³² Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, COGCC Data, Production year: 2024, Oil Produced, County: Weld.
³³ U.S. EIA, Top 100 U.S. Oil & Gas Fields (March 2015), p. 5, 8.
³⁴ Natural Gas Intelligence, Resource, What is the the Niobrara-DJ Basin?, accessed June 2, 2025.
³⁵ Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, COGCC Data, Production Year: 2024, Oil Produced, County: Garfield, Rio Blanco, and Mesa.
³⁶ U.S. Geological Survey, The Uinta-Piceance Province-Introduction to a geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources (2003), DDS-69-B, Chapter 2, p, 2.
³⁷ U.S. Government Accountability Office, Unconventional Oil and Gas Production: Opportunities and Challenges of Oil Shale Development, GAO-12-740T (May 10, 2012).
³⁸ University of Colorado Boulder, Center of the American West, Reading Room, Energy & Mining, Oil Shale, Welcome to Shale Country, accessed June 3, 2025.
³⁹ U.S. EIA, Glossary, Kerogen, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁴⁰ Rakhmatova, N. F. and A. A. Shokhakimova, "The Feasibility of Utilizing Oil Shale," Science and Innovation International Scientific Journal, Volume 4, Issue 4 (April 2025).
⁴¹ Colson, John, "Shell shuts down oil shale pilot project near Rifle," Post Independent (September 26, 2013).
⁴² U.S. EIA, Refinery Capacity Report (June 20, 2025), Table 1, Number and Capacity of Operable Petroleum Refineries, Colorado, Annual (as of January 1), 2020-25.
⁴³ Suncor Energy Inc., Commerce City Refinery, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁴⁴ U.S. Department of Energy, State of Colorado, Energy Sector Risk Profile, p. 4, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁴⁵ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F16, Total Petroleum Consumption Estimates, 2023.
⁴⁶ U.S. EIA, Refinery Capacity Report (June 20, 2025), Table 1, Number and Capacity of Operable Petroleum Refineries, Colorado, Annual (as of January 1), 2020-25.
⁴⁷ U.S. Department of Energy, State of Colorado, Energy Sector Risk Profile, p. 4-5, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁴⁸ ONEOK, Inc. Events & Presentations, Archived Events, April Investor Update, Investor Presentation April 2025, p. 3, 13-14, 21.
⁴⁹ Suncor Energy, Inc., What we do, Refining, Terminals at a glance, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁵⁰ State of Colorado, Colorado Information Marketplace, Map of Crude Oil Rail Terminals in Colorado 2014, updated June 3, 2025.
⁵¹ "ONEOK to Build 230-Mile Refined Products Pipeline from Kansas to Denver," Pipeline & Gas Journal (July 18, 2024).
⁵² Colorado Department of Revenue, Oil & Gas Production Fee, About the Oil & Gas Production Fee, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁵³ Colorado General Assembly, Ozone Mitigation Measures, and Oil & Gas Production Fees, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁵⁴ Colorado General Assembly, SB24-230 Oil & Gas Production Fees, effective May 16, 2024.
⁵⁵ Colorado General Assembly, SB24-229 Ozone Mitigation Measures, effective May 16, 2024.
⁵⁶ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F16, Total Petroleum Consumption Estimates, 2023.
⁵⁷ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C4, Total End-use Sector Energy Consumption Estimates, 2023.
⁵⁸ Colorado Secretary of State, Code of Colorado Regulations, Regulation Number 13 Reduction of Carbon Monoxide Emissions from Gasoline Powered Motor Vehicles Through the use of Oxygenated Gasolines, 5 CCR 1001-16, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁵⁹ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gasoline Standards, Reformulated Gasoline, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁶⁰ American Petroleum Institute, U.S. Gasoline Requirements, Summer 2025 U.S. Gasoline RVP Requirements.
⁶¹ Renewable Fuels Association, Ethanol Biorefinery Locations, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁶² U.S. EIA, U.S. Fuel Ethanol Plant Production Capacity (August 15, 2024), Detailed annual production capacity is available in XLSX.
⁶³ U.S. EIA, U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Proved Reserves, Year-end 2023 (June 25, 2025), Table 8, Natural gas, wet after lease separation, proved reserves, reserves changes, by states and areas 2023.
⁶⁴ U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, Marketed Production, Annual-Million Cubic Feet, 2019-24.
⁶⁵ U.S. EIA, Colorado Natural Gas Marketed Production (Million Cubic Feet), 1967-2024.
⁶⁶ U.S. EIA, Top 100 U.S. Oil & Gas Fields (March 2015), p. 8-10.
⁶⁷ Colorado Geological Survey, Oil and Gas Fields Map of Colorado, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁶⁸ Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, Data, Production by County, Monthly Production by County, Production Year: 2024, Natural and Coalbed Gas Sold.
⁶⁹ U.S. EIA, "Colorado changes its regulatory structure for oil and natural gas production," Today in Energy (June 27, 2019).
⁷⁰ Natural Gas Intelligence, Resource, What is the San Juan Basin?, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁷¹ San Juan Basin Memo, Facts and Stats about the San Juan Basin, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁷² U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, Gross Withdrawals from Coalbed Wells, Annual-Million Cubic Feet, 2018-23.
⁷³ U.S. EIA, Glossary, Coalbed Methane Well Gas, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁷⁴ U.S. EIA, Colorado Coalbed Methane Production, Billion Cubic Feet, 1989-2019.
⁷⁵ U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, Colorado Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals from Coalbed Wells, Annual-Million Cubic Feet, 2002-23.
⁷⁶ U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, Gross Withdrawals from Coalbed Wells, Annual-Million Cubic Feet, 2018-23.
⁷⁷ Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, Data, Production by County, Monthly Coalbed Methane Produced by County, 2024.
⁷⁸ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Coalbed Methane Outreach Program, Tools and Resources Library, Map of U.S. Coal Mine Methan Current Projects and Potential Opportunities, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁷⁹ Tremain, C. M., Coalbed Methane Development in Colorado (September 1990), Colorado Geological Survey, p. 2.
⁸⁰ U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Consumption by End Use (Million Cubic Feet), Colorado, Annual, 2019-24.
⁸¹ U.S. EIA, Colorado Natural Gas Deliveries to Electric Power Consumers, 1997-2024.
⁸² U.S. EIA, "Natural gas spot prices fell across key regional trading hubs in 2024," Today in Energy (February 3, 2025).
⁸³ U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Consumption by End Use (Million Cubic Feet), Colorado, Annual, 2019-24.
⁸⁴ U.S. Census Bureau, Tables, Table B25004, House Heating Fuel, Colorado, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
⁸⁵ U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, Marketed Production, Annual-Million Cubic Feet, 2019-24.
⁸⁶ U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Consumption by End Use, Colorado, Annual-Million Cubic Feet, 2019-24.
⁸⁷ U.S. EIA, Colorado Profile Overview, Interactive Map, Layer List: Pipelines and Transmission, Natural Gas Pipelines, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁸⁸ U.S. EIA, International & Interstate Movements of Natural Gas by State, Colorado, Annual, 2018-23.
⁸⁹ American Petroleum Institute, Progress and Opportunity - Colorado Natural Gas and Oil (June 2018), p. 14.
⁹⁰ Tallgrass Development, LP., Cheyenne Connector, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁹¹ White River Hub, WRH Home, accessed June 3, 2025.
⁹² U.S. EIA, Underground Natural Gas Storage Capacity (Capacity in Million Cubic Feet), Colorado, Annual, and Total Number of Existing Fields, Annual, 2018-23.
⁹³ U.S. EIA, Underground Natural Gas Storage (Million Cubic Feet), Total Storage Capacity, Annual, 2018-23.
⁹⁴ U.S. EIA, Colorado Natural Gas Underground Storage Capacity (Million Cubic Feet), 1988-23.
⁹⁵ U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Report (October 30, 2024), Table 15, Recoverable Coal Reserves at Producing Mines, Estimated Recoverable Reserves, and Demonstrated Reserve Base by Mining Method, 2023.
⁹⁶ U.S. EIA, Coal explained, Where our coal comes from, updated December 23, 2023.
⁹⁷ U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Report (October 30, 2024), Table 2, Coal Production and Number of Mines by State, County, and Mine Type, 2023.
⁹⁸ Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Coal in Colorado, accessed June 25, 2025.
⁹⁹ Murray, Keith D., Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) coal resources of western Colorado (1981), p. 233.
¹⁰⁰ Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Coal in Colorado, accessed June 25, 2025.
¹⁰¹ U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Report (October 30, 2024), Table 26, U.S. Coal Consumption by End Use Sector, Census Division, and State, 2023 and 2022.
¹⁰² U.S. EIA, "Planned retirements of U.S. coal-fired electric-generating capacity to increase in 2025," Today in Energy (February 25, 2025).
¹⁰³ U.S. EIA, "U.S. production of all types of coal has declined over the past two decades," Today in Energy (April 8, 2025).
¹⁰⁴ U.S. EIA, Coal Data Browser, Aggregate coal mine production for all coal (short tons), Colorado, 2001-23.
¹⁰⁵ U.S. EIA, Quarterly Coal Report (April 2, 2025), Production, Table 2, Coal Production by State (thousand short tons), Year to date 2024.
¹⁰⁶ U.S. EIA, Coal Data Browser, Aggregate coal mine production for all coal (short tons), Colorado, 2001-23.
¹⁰⁷ U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Distribution Report (October 30, 2024), Domestic distribution of U.S. coal by origin State, consumer, destination, and method of transportation, Colorado, Table OS-3, Domestic Coal Distribution, by Origin State, 2023.
¹⁰⁸ U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Distribution Report (October 30, 2024), Domestic distribution of U.S. coal by: Domestic and foreign distribution of U.S. coal by origin State, 2023.
¹⁰⁹ U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), Colorado, Annual, 2001-24.
¹¹⁰ U.S. EIA, "Planned retirements of U.S. coal-fired electric-generating capacity to increase in 2025," Today in Energy (February 25, 2025).
¹¹¹ Xcel Energy Inc., "Excel Energy takes step to replace remaining coal plants with new energy generation," Press Release (October 16, 2025).
¹¹² U.S. EIA, "New solar plants expected to support most U.S. electric generation growth," Today in Energy (January 24, 2025).
¹¹³ U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Planned Generators as of May 2025, Plant State: Colorado, Technology: Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine.
¹¹⁴ U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generator as of May 2025, Plant State: Colorado, Technology: Conventional Steam Coal.
¹¹⁵ U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), Colorado, Annual, 2001-24.
¹¹⁶ U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Facility Locator, Facilities by NRC Region or State, Colorado updated March 9, 2021.
¹¹⁷ "Polis greenlights nuclear power as Colorado rejects "Green New Deal"," The Rocky Mountain Voice (April 1, 2025).
¹¹⁸ Chenoweth, Wiliam L., "The uranium-vanadium deposits of the Uravan Mineral Belt and adjacent areas, Colorado and Utah," 1981 New Mexico Geological Society 32, Annual Fall Field Conference Guidebook, p. 165-170.
¹¹⁹ U.S. Geological Survey, "U.S. Geological Survey Releases 2022 List of Critical Minerals," Press Release (February 22, 2022).
¹²⁰ Colorado Geological Survey, Uranium, accessed June 4, 2025.
¹²¹ U.S. EIA, Domestic Uranium Production Report-Annual (May 23, 2024), Tables 4, 5, 10.
¹²² U.S. Department of Energy, Uranium Leasing Program, accessed June 5, 2025.
¹²³ Lemaitre, Roger, "Homeland Uranium Commences Phase 1 Program at Coyote Basin and Red Wash Uranium Projects in Colorado: Executive Orders Issued to Grow American Nuclear Power Capacity," Junior Mining Network (May 30, 2025).
¹²⁴ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C17, Electricity Sales to Ultimate Customers, Total and Residential, Total and per Capita, Ranked by State, 2023.
¹²⁵ U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Retail sales of electricity (million kilowatthours), Colorado, Annual, 2001-24.
¹²⁶ U.S. Census Bureau, Tables, Table B25004, House Heating Fuel, Colorado, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
¹²⁷ U.S. EIA, Colorado Profile Overview, Interactive Map, Layer List: Border Crossings - Electricity, U.S. Electric Power Transmission Lines, accessed June 3, 2025.
¹²⁸ U.S. EIA, State Electricity Profiles, Colorado Electricity Profile 2023 (October 23, 2024), Table 10, available in XLSX format.
¹²⁹ TransWest Express, Critical grid infrastructure to connect the West, accessed June 5, 2025.
¹³⁰ Power Technology, TransWest Express Transmissions Project, USA, updated July 4, 2023.
¹³¹ U.S. EIA, Monthly Energy Review (June 25, 2025), Appendix F monthly state file, XLS, Public Port only and Public & Private Ports combined.
¹³² U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F39, Electric light-duty vehicles overview, 2023.
¹³³ U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), Colorado, Annual, 2001-24.
¹³⁴ U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, WINDExchange, Wind Energy in Colorado, accessed June 5, 2025.
¹³⁵ U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly (February 2025), Table 6.2.B, Net Summer Capacity Using Primarily Renewable Energy Sources and by State, December 2024 and 2023 (Megawatts).
¹³⁶ U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), Colorado, Annual, 2001-24.
¹³⁷ Guzman Energy LLC, "Guzman Energy Partners with Holy Cross Energy for Power Generated by Bronco Plains II Energy Center," Press Release (April 15, 2024).
¹³⁸ U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Planned Generators as of May 2025, Plant State: Colorado, Technology: Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine.
¹³⁹ National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Geospatial Data Science, Solar Resource Maps and Data, Global Horizontal Solar Irradiance, updated February 22, 2018.
¹⁴⁰ U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly (February 2025), Table 6.2.B, Net Summer Capacity Using Primarily Renewable Energy Sources and by State, December 2024 and 2023 (Megawatts).
¹⁴¹ U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Planned Generators as of May 2025, Plant State: Colorado, Technology: Solar Photovoltaic.
¹⁴² U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), Colorado, All utility-scale solar, Small-scale solar photovoltaic, Annual, 2001-24.
¹⁴³ NC Clean Energy Technology Center, DSIRE, Colorado, Net Metering, updated February 28, 2025.
¹⁴⁴ Xcel Energy Inc., Renewable Energy, On-site Renewable Energy, accessed June 5, 2025.
¹⁴⁵ Holy Cross Energy, Solar+Battery Energy Storage, accessed June 5, 2025.
¹⁴⁶ U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generators as of May 2025, Plant State: Colorado, Technology: Conventional Hydroelectric.
¹⁴⁷ U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generators as of May 2025, Plant State: Colorado, Technology: Hydroelectric Pumped Storage.
¹⁴⁸ U.S. EIA, "Most pumped storage electricity generators in the U.S. were built in the 1970s," Today in Energy (October 31, 2019).
¹⁴⁹ U.S. EIA, Energy Explained, Hydropower explained, Hydroelectric power is produced with moving water, Pumped-storage hydropower facilities, updated April 20, 2023.
¹⁵⁰ Anderson, Dylan, "Florida company wants to flood Twentymile Mine as part of energy-producing pumped storage project," The Yampa Valley Bugle (July 19, 2024).
¹⁵¹ U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Issued Preliminary Permits for Pumped Storage Projects Map, updated June 12, 2025.
¹⁵² U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generators as of May 2025, Plant State: Colorado, Technology: Wood/Wood Waste Biomass.
¹⁵³ Colorado State Forest Service, Where Wood Works - Harnessing the Energy of Woody Biomass in Colorado (2011), p.4.
¹⁵⁴ U.S. EIA, Biomass explained, Landfill gas and biogas, updated November 19, 2024.
¹⁵⁵ Colorado Energy Office, Reports, Renewable Energy, Colorado Market Assessment of Agricultural Anaerobic Digesters, accessed June 5, 2025.
¹⁵⁶ NC Clean Energy Technology Center, DSIRE, Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Equipment, updated December 10, 2024.
¹⁵⁷ Colorado State Forest Service, Wood to Energy Program, accessed June 5, 2025.
¹⁵⁸ Colorado Geological Survey, Energy, Geothermal, accessed June 5, 2025.
¹⁵⁹ Colorado Governor Jared Polis, "Polis Administration Announces $7.7 million in Awards for Geothermal Energy Projects," Press Release (May 24, 2024).
¹⁶⁰ Colorado Energy Office, "Geothermal Energy Grant Program, Round 1 Awardees," accessed June 5, 2025.
¹⁶¹ Davis, Graham & Stubbs, "Colorado's Energy-Related Bills in the 2022 Legislative Session," (May 23, 2022).
¹⁶² Colorado Geological Survey, Geothermal, accessed May 27, 2024.
¹⁶³ Colorado State Capitol, Projects, Geothermal, accessed May 27, 2024.
¹⁶⁴ Colorado Energy Office, Geothermal Incentives, Colorado Geothermal Incentives and Programs, accessed July 7, 2025.
¹⁶⁵ U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly (May 22, 2025), Table 1.16.B, Utility Scale Facility Net Generation from Geothermal by State, by Sector, Year-to-Date through March 2025 and 2024 (thousand megawatthours).
¹⁶⁶ NC Clean Energy Technology Center, DSIRE, Renewable Portfolio Standard, Colorado, updated February 13, 2025.
¹⁶⁷ Colorado Energy Office, Our State's Current Energy Profile, Utility Service Territories, accessed June 26, 2025.
¹⁶⁸ Xcel Energy Inc., Sustainability Report 2024, p. 12.
¹⁶⁹ Black Hills Energy, Sustainability Report 2023, p.14.
¹⁷⁰ Colorado Energy Office, Climate & Energy, GHG Pollution Reduction Roadmap, accessed June 25, 2025.