US developer Xcel Energy aims to add almost 10GW of new utility-scale solar and wind this decade in the states of Minnesota and Colorado, where it is also is proposing a $1.7bn expansion of heavy-duty transmission lines to further enable gigawatts of future renewables build-out.

The Minneapolis-based utility, which vies with Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy for having the most wind capacity on its electrical system, also announced it is on track to achieve 80% carbon reduction by 2030.