Colorado wind had a good year in 2017 with some big deals to report
At one point, more than 65 percent of Colorado’s electric needs were provided by wind
Colorado’s wind industry had a good year in 2017, with steady employment numbers and a couple of big corporate deals to report, according to the American Wind Energy Association’s annual report released Tuesday.
In March, UK-based Cooper & Turner Industries opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Pueblo. The company, which is a major supplier to wind turbine maker Vestas, makes anchor bolts for wind turbines. Cooper & Turner already had a sales division in Denver.
In May, Texas-based Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners acquired Boulder-based wind project developer Scout Clean Energy. Quinbrook is a global investment manager in renewable energy infrastructure assets.
Colorado remained fourth in wind energy employment in 2017 with more than 5,000 jobs, down from the 6,000 to 7,000 estimated in 2014. Across the nation, a record 105,500 people were employed in the wind industry, up from about 73,000 in 2014. Wind technicians fell to the second fastest growing profession as solar technicians clinched the top spot.
