Colorado has the opportunity to lead the nation in building an energy future that is affordable, reliable, and clean. But too many Coloradans are already feeling the squeeze —concerned about climbing electricity bills, an aging grid, and the risks of extreme weather fueled by climate change. Families worry about costs today, and about whether we’re moving fast enough to meet our climate goals tomorrow. We owe it to our kids to act. That means confronting climate change, cleaning up our air, and reaching net-zero emissions as quickly as we can, while protecting affordability or reliability for communities across our state.
President Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda does not address, and will never solve, our complex energy challenges. His administration’s sustained attacks on clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency weaken Colorado’s energy security and leave families and businesses paying more.
Colorado’s path forward will be different. With our diverse energy resources, nation-leading innovation, skilled workforce, and collaborative approach, Colorado is uniquely well-positioned to compete, win, and lead the global energy transition. Together, we can make Colorado’s energy strategy a competitive advantage for our state, and an example for the country to follow.
As Governor, Michael will bring together Colorado communities, businesses, environmental leaders, energy companies, co-ops, local governments, and labor on a statewide energy strategy to:
- Harness clean energy and innovation to power affordable and reliable energy;
- Cut climate emissions, clean up our air, and reach net-zero as soon as possible; and
- Advance an energy transition that fuels good paying jobs and economic growth across the state.
Using Clean Energy and Innovation to Power an Affordable and Reliable Energy. Michael will work to make sure energy is affordable and make it easier for Coloradans to keep the lights on by:
- Protecting Colorado’s Right to Make Clean and Cost-Effective Energy Decisions: The Trump Administration’s attempts to force our state to favor coal is already raising prices and undermining long-term progress. Michael will continue Colorado’s work to dramatically expand solar, wind and battery storage in Colorado. He will defend Colorado’s right to chart its own energy future, push back against federal delays on clean energy projects, and oppose any Trump Administration mandate that conflicts with the state’s energy strategy. Michael will also require the state to complete an ongoing, rigorous, and Colorado-specific cost comparison of energy resources, energy efficiency improvements, and grid modernization improvements. The evaluation will measure costs to Colorado customers and to the environment in the short and long term.
- Building a Modern Grid Infrastructure to Improve Reliability and Lower Costs: Colorado will need billions of dollars of investment into our electrical grid over the next two decades to keep up with our energy transition, meet energy demand, and to make up for maintenance that has been put off. Michael will work with energy companies, customers, and local governments to design and implement a statewide strategy to strengthen and expand our electrical grid in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. He will work with the PUC and Energy Office to expand tools for financing new infrastructure that are better aligned with affordable energy delivery to customers. He will also collaborate with local governments, county commissioners, and community leaders to strategically locate transmission and distribution infrastructure – prioritizing thoughtful land use, cutting unnecessary permitting delays, reducing wildfire risks, and minimizing impacts on wildlife. Michael will push to expand rebates to support grid-connected back-up power generation to customers in wildfire-prone areas.
- Driving Innovation Across Colorado’s Energy System: Colorado’s capacity to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable electricity depends on our ability to develop, pilot, and deploy new energy sources, technologies, and demand side solutions. Michael will direct the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and Colorado Energy Office to start a Colorado Energy Innovation Program. The public-private partnership will align state resources in support of strategic investments that accelerate and improve our delivery of affordable and clean energy. The program will include efforts to: (1) pilot and demonstrate promising clean energy sources and grid-enhancing technologies; (2) expand Colorado’s work in energy innovation parks–clusters of energy assets designed to deploy novel technologies, expand the generation mix, enhance flexibility, and accelerate clean power resources that have not yet reached scale; and (3) build on state efforts to explore the potential for geothermal, advanced nuclear, carbon capture and sequestration, and hydrogen to play a role in meeting the state’s net-zero targets.
- Ensuring Large Commercial Users Pay Their Fair Share: Massive energy users like data centers shouldn’t drive up utility bills for Colorado families. Michael will stand up for everyday Coloradans by making sure big corporations—not working families—pay the true cost of the power they use. Michael will support a pragmatic approach to commercial energy use in Colorado that still enables economic development. He will require new data centers to cover the cost of the energy they consume and to help finance the infrastructure they need to support the unprecedented additional energy load. Michael will require all new projects to align with Colorado’s clean energy, emissions reduction, water conservation, and workforce development goals—protecting our air, our water, and our quality of life.
- Prioritizing Smart Energy Use: Michael will support measures that improve energy efficiency and better balance electricity demand to lower costs for customers. He will expand incentives that encourage energy use during off-peak hours and promote pairing intermittent clean energy sources with batteries and other flexible energy resources. He will also support strategic investments in energy efficiency improvements necessary to bring down costs and to reach our emissions targets, including programs to expand the use of heat pumps and other emerging technologies, invest in the weatherization of homes and buildings, and encourage unique financing that brings down the up-front costs of efficiency investments. Michael will prioritize a beneficial electrification strategy that moves Colorado towards net-zero emissions, spurs investment in jobs in clean technologies, while keeping energy bills affordable.
Cut Climate Emissions to Reach Net-Zero as Soon as Possible, and Clean Up Our Air. Colorado has been a national leader in confronting climate change. Michael will support a disciplined strategy that continues our progress towards our net-zero emissions goals, including:
- Launching a Cap and Invest Program in Colorad0: Michael will partner with leaders in Colorado to design and implement his Colorado Clean Air, Affordable Energy Program. This new program will ensure Colorado is best positioned to meet our statutory climate targets through 2050, with a clear, enforceable cap on emissions across major economic sectors. It will also create new funding to reduce energy costs for Colorado families and pollution in the most heavily polluted communities, and provide Colorado businesses with a predictable and reliable, market-based path to comply with emissions reduction requirements.
- Demanding Compliance with Clean Air Laws: Michael is committed to reducing harmful air pollution that is bad for our health, especially in communities where it is concentrated. Michael will require strict enforcement of Colorado’s air quality laws, through increasing transparency, eliminating delays, staffing the state adequately for monitoring, permitting, and enforcement, and making permitting and penalties match the risk emissions pose to surrounding communities. He will also push for compliance with the federal Clean Air Act.
- Partnering with Farmers, Ranchers, and Rural Communities: Michael will continue investments in sound land stewardship practices that reduce emissions, increase carbon storage, and strengthen rural economies. He will partner with Colorado’s farmers and ranchers, forestry leaders, and rural communities to expand practices that build soil health, reduce input costs, and improve resilience to drought and extreme weather. He will also invest in forest and watershed restoration, safeguard intact landscapes, and accelerate reforestation of burned areas.
- Making Transportation Accessible, Affordable, and More Energy Efficient: Transportation is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Michael will build on the state’s efforts to encourage the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) through expanding Colorado’s EV charging infrastructure along roadways and supporting incentives for home charging infrastructure. He will also work with local governments and local and regional transit authorities to better align housing development with affordable transit, bike, and pedestrian options, and increase the availability and frequency of affordable transit options within Colorado’s cities and towns. He will expand bus rapid transit on major corridors and further connect and sustainably fund statewide bus services, like Bustang, to local and regional transit systems throughout the state. He will also continue to work with local communities to expand and modernize passenger rail service.
Advance an Energy Transition that Fuels Good Paying Jobs and Economic Growth across the State. Michael understands that communities that have historically relied on fossil-based power generation, production, or extraction have been left behind by policies developed in Denver, and they’re concerned that the time invested in planning, economic development, and local collaboration could be shelved by future government leaders. Michael will respond by:
- Prioritize Attracting New Businesses To Fill The Gaps: Michael will direct state offices to deepen efforts that attract, retain, and grow viable businesses in target industries –like geothermal, energy storage, manufacturing, entrepreneurship and agriculture– that fill service gaps, create high-quality jobs, and help replace lost revenue. He will also continue to support rail service as a tool to attract manufacturing businesses and industries.
- Invest in Economic Infrastructure: Michael will prioritize investments that support long-term economic diversification, strengthen local resilience, and improve quality of life, including updated utilities and transmission, transportation access, broadband capacity, and site-ready properties so that they are ready for outside investment and economic growth.
- Promote Community Led Education and Career Training: Michael will champion new opportunities in the skilled trades, apprenticeships, and other high-wage career paths, including expanding opportunities for students to use student aid to access a wider range of high-quality workforce training programs. He will work with employers, labor, and educators to better integrate education and work to meet critical workforce needs, and will direct the State to further collaborate with local high schools and community colleges to prepare students and workers for in-demand jobs.
