Future of Clean Energy - Xcel CEO Dick Kelly

• Sue Mitrovic
• Denver Post

Xcel's commitment to promoting cleaner energy alternatives for the future, expressed in Richard Kelly's guest commentary, was refreshing. But I disagree that nuclear and coal fall into the category of "cleaner" technologies. Many sources have identified increased levels of carbon dioxide in the production of coal refining. Mr. Kelly and others refer to coal as a cheap, abundant domestic resource. Availability will decline and costs rise when there is competition between coal for generation of electricity and as coal-to-liquids synthetic fuel. Another article in last Sunday's business section highlighted the truly abundant resource of wind on Colorado's Eastern Plains. That's the clean technology we should be emphasizing. Sue Mitrovic, Broomfield