Fighting False Solutions

“Xcel’s plan is an opportunity to foster economic development that benefits Pueblo’s future. Wind and solar power will create new jobs, attract clean industries, and make our community healthier—without the pollution and risks that come with other energy sources. We need a real transition, not false solutions that continue to burn fossil fuels or gamble with untested technologies like nuclear or massive carbon capture facilities."

— Ean Tafoya, State Director, GreenLatinos Colorado

What are False Solutions?

The climate crisis is here in Colorado, fueled by our continued dependence on fossil fuels. Wildfires, extreme heat, and drought are risking the health and lives of communities across the state. To avoid even more catastrophic climate disasters, we must urgently transition away from fossil fuels—and we can. We have renewable, economical, and clean alternatives ready to deploy right now.

Unfortunately, instead of embracing a clean energy future, the oil and gas industry and corporate utilities are rebranding their climate-warming products to make them sound “clean” and “green”. They are also touting the climate benefits of untested technologies like carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and dangerous and expensive sources of energy like Nuclear.

“Renewable” methane gas. Nuclear power. Carbon capture. These are false solutions.

Keep Colorado Nuclear-Free by opposing HB250-1040

On January 8th, Colorado Representatives Valdez, Winter, Roberts, and Liston introduced bill HB25-1040 to update the statutory definitions of "clean energy" and "clean energy resource" to include nuclear energy. However, nuclear energy is another false solution and anything but clean.

The bill has passed the House and is now headed to the Senate.

You can help oppose this bill by taking the following actions:

  1. Read and share this this Factsheet and Toolkit to oppose HB25-1040.

  2. Contact your state Senartor and tell them to oppose this legislation. Find your Senator at this link.

  3. The Nuclear-Free Colorado coalition has also put together a one-click letter you can personalize and send.

  4. If you represent an organization, please consider signing onto our organizational sign-on letter by filling out the form at this link and  feel free to send an email to nuclear-free-pueblo@googlegroups.com if you would like to be added to their mailing list.

Renewables are the fastest technologies to develop and deploy

While nuclear or fossil-fuel plants are often touted as the the best solutions to ensure energy reliability, these arguments miss the fact that these systems take much longer to build than renewable options and can be much more expensive.

The sift deployment of renewable sources will be faster, cheaper, and just as reliable - grids in the Midwest, Texas, and California regularly operate using more than 70% renewable energy.

Credit: RTO Insider

https://www.rtoinsider.com/98370-energy-innovation-us-new-approach-grid-reliability/

Learn More about False Solutions

Photo of rally attendees with signs about clean energy and no false solutions

photo credit: Christian O’Rourke