Ritter as pointman for new energy

FORT COLLINS – Former Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, whose administration was well-known for having led the state’s renewable energy charge, has taken a national and, in some cases, international approach to the issue these days.

As head of CSU’s privately funded Center for the New Energy Economy, established last year, Ritter has traveled from Kentucky to China promoting a range of clean-energy measures.

Some of his work has ended up in legislation that passed; other measures have failed, including a solar energy bill in Arkansas. Ritter plans to return to the state to promote the measure during the next legislative session.

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He also has lectured as a guest in CSU political science, engineering and business classes.

Ritter spoke with the Business Report recently about his efforts in the past year to advance the clean-energy agenda as well as to promote Colorado’s oil and gas rules to policymakers nationwide.

Business Report: Let’s start by telling us what’s new at the Center for the New Energy Economy?

Ritter: One of the things that we initially set out to do was try and work with governors’ offices on energy policy and try to advance a clean-energy agenda. Our ambition is to advance energy policy at the state level that will help us move forward with respect to renewable energy. In 2011, I was in around 25 states. Some of those states were simply speaking engagements, but in others we were there to work with the governor’s offices, legislators or utility commissioners.

It’s a pretty difficult time. Clean energy has become politicized, so our attempts have been to try and work with both Republican and Democratic governors. We’ve spent a lot of time laying the groundwork for a variety of things. We’ve had some legislation that’s been written and we’ve been involved in advising on legislation – some that got passed.

We’re currently working in Minnesota and Kentucky with governor’s offices on a more comprehensive legislative agenda for the upcoming legislative session. I’ve worked with the Ohio governor’s office: They passed comprehensive legislation, and we talked to them about the Colorado rules and experience on natural gas.

Business Report: We understand you visited China in recent months. Can you share what you did there?

Ritter: I went with a group of CSU leaders. The CSU delegation met with a variety of folks in Beijing (and) with the sustainability office for Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola China actually is sponsoring Chinese students to come to Colorado. I spent a few days with the Energy Foundation board really looking at our Chinese program on what we can do to assist China in moving toward a clean-energy agenda. There’s actually a great deal of influence that grantees of the Energy Foundation have had in helping China understand the necessity to transition quickly to a different kind of energy economy.

Business Report: What do you think is the greatest accomplishment of the Center for the New Energy Economy in the past year?

Ritter: I think probably marketing our rules on oil and gas drilling. As you remember, it was quite a battle when we reformed the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Those rules are now touted in a lot of places as some of the best rules in the country for extracting gas and oil in an environmentally sound way. We’re really regarded as having done this and done it well. I’m proud of what we did as governor and then proud that we’ve been able, as the Center for the New Energy Economy, to really push those rules in other places around the country, to try and break the stalemate that may occur between industry and the environmental community.

Even in difficult times both economic and political, we continue to drive this message that America can benefit from a (clean) energy economy.

Business Report: How has the organization responded to the economic challenges that renewable energy has faced this year?

Ritter: One of the things that we’ve tried to do is help talk about the challenges of the industry and explain what those challenges are, but to also keep making the case that it’s important for us as a country to keep our focus on a clean energy agenda. That includes solar; that includes the research and development part of it.

Business Report: Do you have any interesting upcoming efforts related to renewable energy in Northern Colorado?

Ritter: Everything we do at CSU we consider to be Northern Colorado. Related to renewables, I’d say, ‘No,’ other than what I do to teach and talk about it. I’m going to go to the Aspen American Renewable Energy Day. Interestingly, they asked me to present on natural gas, as well. They’re really trying to understand this intersection between natural gas and renewable energy. Then we have our natural-gas symposium (at CSU in early October).

Business Report: You mentioned natural gas: Do you feel that’s an important bridge to alternative energy?

Ritter: We’re really trying to look at how we can reduce our emissions. We’re looking at the public health implications of what happens if we don’t focus on emissions. We look at the climate change implications. For me, it really is about both renewables and about natural gas and really thinking about the intersection between those two. I don’t really use the word ‘bridge fuel.’ What’s important is to understand it’s the best fuel to integrate with renewables. We need to find a way to build out a clean energy economy that reduces emissions and that meets these target goals. I think natural gas and renewables are both important to that.