Colorado's Aggressive Renewable-Energy Push Proves Prosperous

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Written by Will Ploch, Assistant Editor-in-Chief for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Colorado is among the U.S. states most aggressively building out its renewable-energy capacity, with Xcel and other power providers planning significant levels of wind and solar generation in the near term.

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Striking Renewable Gold in Colorado

Amid the Trump administration's pushback against renewable energy, Colorado has emerged as a top destination for low-to-zero-carbon power-generation projects. According to a study from Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG) and Environment Colorado, renewable-sourced energy output in the Centennial State has more than doubled over the past 10 years, rising from 19% of Colorado's energy portfolio in 2016 to 44% in 2025. Industrial Info is tracking more than $35 billion worth of active and proposed renewable-energy projects in Colorado, more than 75% of which is attributed to solar projects.

According to Industrial Info Resources data, more than $9.5 billion of the total is attributed to projects with construction underway, or with a medium-to-high likelihood of beginning construction as currently scheduled. Among those slated to finish construction this year are two from Xcel Energy Incorporated: the Cheyenne Ridge II Windfarm in Cheyenne Wells and the Arroyo Solar Plant in Pueblo, both of which are located in the state's eastern half. The Arroyo project features a battery energy-storage system (BESS).

Industrial Info Resources offers more information on these projects in its Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database, where readers can find details--including capacities, construction histories and necessary equipment--in reports on the Cheyenne Ridge II and Arroyo projects.

Xcel also expects to begin construction in the coming weeks on its Towner East Wind Energy Center in Sheridan Lake, Colorado. Public Service Company of Colorado, an Xcel subsidiary, plans to integrate output from the facility into its transmission network, rather than relying on a power purchase agreement. Readers can learn more from a detailed project report.

The Towner East project is one of 53 utility-scale power generation projects across North America, with investments totaling more than $19 billion, with a target kickoff in June. For more on this, subscribers to IIR Energy's Breaking Energy News (BEN) can view the June 5, 2026, article - Fifty-Four Utility Scale Power Plant Projects Could Kick Off Construction in June.

By the Numbers

• More than $35 billion: Total investment value of active and proposed renewable-energy projects in Colorado
• 44%: Share of renewable energy in Colorado's power-generation portfolio in 2025
• More than $19 billion: Total value of utility-scale power generation projects across North America set to begin construction in June

Rural Areas Primed for Capacity Growth

Among the energy providers benefiting from Colorado's buildout in renewables is Holy Cross Energy (HCE), a non-profit, rural electric co-operative. Last week, HCE announced that for the first month in its history, it provided renewable electricity equivalent to 100% of its members' needs in March. The co-op aims to provide 100% renewable electricity to its members every month by 2030.

"HCE's success in March was driven by a combination of mild temperatures and favorable conditions for the production of electricity from HCE's robust portfolio of renewable-energy resources," the co-operative said in a press release. Among the operational facilities from which HCE draws energy are NextEra Energy Resources's Bronco Plains Windfarm in Flagler, and D.E. Shaw and Torch Clean Energy's Hunter Solar Park in Bennett.

HCE also draws energy from a series of solar and battery-storage facilities directly connected to its distribution system, including one at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs and AES Corporation's High Mesa facility in Parachute, and a variety of distributed solar and hydro facilities through HCE's service territory. Readers can consult detailed profiles of the Bronco Plains Windfarm, Hunter Solar, Colorado Mountain College and High Mesa plants.

Much of HCE's business is focused on the western half of Colorado, where the Ute Mountain tribe is at work on one of the largest solar-energy projects in the U.S.: the Sun Bear Solar Farm near Towaoc, within the "Four Corners" region bordering four states. The area set aside for construction is eight miles long and a mile wide. More information can be found in Industrial Info Resources' detailed project report.

The Industrial Info Resources GMI Project and Plant databases offer a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and a full list of related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources also offers a full list of reports for active and proposed renewable-energy projects in Colorado.

Key Takeaways

• Colorado has emerged as a top destination for low-to-zero-carbon power-generation projects.
• A total of 53 utility-scale power generation projects across North America are set to kick off in June.
• Rural cooperative Holy Cross Energy recently provided a full month of 100% renewable energy to its members.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news, and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing, and energy-related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified, and verified plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).