Every city has a minimum energy demand which must be met in order for its key systems to operate without interruption, and for its residents’ basic energy needs to be provided for (typically, 35%-40% of peak yearly demand). This amount of energy is called the Base Load, and it must be both reliable and continuously produced.
Without sufficient levels of locally produced renewable energy, Aspen cannot provide reliable, clean and sustainable Base Load to the system into the future, and must instead rely upon supplemental purchases of costly, unreliable, dirty, and non-local sources of energy.