A New Energy Economy - Center for the New Energy Economy ...

A LETTER FROM GOVERNOR RITTER
A Letter From Governor Ritter
Dear Reader,
In four years as Governor of Colorado, I have made it a top priority to position
Colorado as an economic and energy leader by creating sustainable jobs for
our residents, encouraging economic growth for our businesses, and fostering
new innovations and new technologies from our public, non-profit and private
institutions. We call it the New Energy Economy, and it is built on the recognition
that the world is changing the way it produces and consumes energy.
By harnessing the creative forces of
entrepreneurs, researchers, educators,
foundations, business leaders and policy
makers, we have in Colorado created
an ecosystem that is supporting private
economic activity, creating new jobs and
putting our state at the forefront of a fastchanging
world. In Colorado, we intend to
help America remain a global economic
power by leading – not following – in the
race to a new energy future.
While our state remains a strong – and proud
– producer of traditional energy resources,
we have also become a national center for
advancing the diversified energy resources
that we turn to today, and will increasingly
do so in the future: solar, wind, geothermal,
biomass, small hydro, Smart Grid and other
elements of the emerging new energy world.
In the pages that follow, we are sharing
Colorado’s New Energy Economy story
in hopes that it can serve as a blueprint
for states, local governments and others
interested in preparing for, and engaging
with, a world where China, Europe, Asia and
other fast-rising economies are speeding
ahead while America risks falling behind.
In Colorado, we’ve elected to join that race,
and together, we believe America can win
it. Colorado is proof positive that we can
create new opportunities for new forms of
clean energy that will ease our dependence
on foreign energy, conserve finite fossil fuels,
protect our environment and allow us to
compete in the global fields of new energy
manufacturing, research and business.
We hope you find Colorado’s story
instructive, and employ its lessons to
advance the New Energy Economy in other
regions. By taking these steps, we can deliver
to our children and grandchildren a better
world, and give them the knowledge that we
worked with their futures in mind in hopes
that they will do the same.
Sincerely,
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Colorado Governor
January 2007 to January 2011