Renewable energy will continue to grow as part of Highline Electric Association’s energy options, General Manager Mark Farnsworth said as he addressed his membership at Highline’s March annual meeting. “Our desire is to explore optins that make sense and are affordable and achievable for both Highline and you,” he said.
Highline Electric, which serves northeastern Colorado and southwestern Nebraska, was the first distribution cooperative in Colorado to develop a renewable energy project of any size, according to Farnsworth. The project was Trailblazer, Highline’s recovered energy generation project, which is a waste heat project.
The co-op partnered with Kinder Morgan and Ormat Technologies to develop the project in 2009.
The first year, the project saved Highline $527,000 in power costs. In 2010, Highline saved $688,000. It has been a successful project.
Farnsworth also announced two new small-scale renewable energy projects at the annual meeting. Equipment is being installed for a 2 kilowatt wind turbine and a 1.4 kilowatt solar array at the co-op’s office in Holyoke.