Colorado Renewable Energy Generation Hits Record 56.1% in Second Quarter

Colorado has recorded a new milestone in renewable energy generation, with wind, solar and hydropower accounting for 56.1 per cent of the state’s total electricity supply during the second quarter of 2026.

According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the April-to-June figure represents the highest quarterly share of renewable electricity ever recorded in Colorado.

The development follows a strong first quarter, when renewable sources generated slightly more than 53 per cent of the state’s electricity, marking the first time renewables supplied a majority of Colorado’s power.

For the first six months of 2026, renewables accounted for 54.7 per cent of total electricity generation in the state.

Boulder-based energy data monitor Ron Sinton said the figures demonstrate the continued expansion of renewable energy in Colorado, particularly as new solar and wind projects come online.

Sinton noted that renewable energy accounted for 54.7 per cent of electricity generation in the first half of the year, bringing the renewable share over the previous four quarters to 49.6 per cent.

He added that solar generation had surpassed coal during the first half of 2026, with solar contributing about 17 per cent of Colorado’s electricity compared with 13 per cent from coal.

The shift reflects the declining role of coal in the state’s electricity mix as coal-fired power plants approach retirement and additional solar and wind capacity is brought into operation.

Compared with the first half of 2025, coal’s contribution to Colorado’s electricity generation fell by 45 per cent during the same period in 2026. Meanwhile, solar generation increased by 26 per cent, wind by 7 per cent and natural gas generation by 15 per cent, alongside a modest increase in hydropower.

Sinton said the growth of solar and wind had increasingly allowed renewable sources to respond to changes in electricity demand, while fossil fuels have taken on a more limited role.

The trend is also evident among individual utilities. Holy Cross Energy, an electric cooperative based in Glenwood Springs, recorded 87 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources through July, significantly exceeding Colorado’s statewide average.

The latest figures highlight Colorado’s accelerating transition toward renewable energy and the growing contribution of solar and wind power to the state’s electricity system.