U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper touted federal investment into “climate rescue” in a meeting with environmental and health advocates on Thursday in Denver, noting more than $100 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act.

Hickenlooper described the federal package as the “biggest thing we’ve ever done as a country in terms of climate rescue, ever.”

More than $100 billion in investment and production tax credits are available from the Inflation Reduction Act to help fund “projects at real scale” not just for Americans, but also for “the rest of the world that’s maybe not as affluent as we are, parts of Asia, parts of Africa,” said Hickenlooper, who stood next to two free electric vehicle chargers outside the Denver City and County Building.

By scaling the investments, Hickenlooper said, “we’re going to drive down the unit cost so that the rest of the world’s going to be able to afford addressing climate change, as well.”

Critics of Colorado’s quick transition to renewable energy said Hickenlooper and his allies “have not learned their lesson from the experiences of Europe and California over the last few months.”

Jacob Fogleman, policy analyst at the Independence Institute’s Energy & Environmental Policy Center, argued for what he called a balanced and diverse energy portfolio and a pragmatic approach to decarbonization.

“Hickenlooper says the emphasis on renewables in the Inflation Reduction Act is going to also drive down the cost of electricity,” added Randal O’Toole, director of the group’s Transportation Policy Center. “Yet, that has never happened. In Europe and California, efforts to promote renewables have made electricity more expensive and less reliable.”

Alexandra Simon, a public health advocate with the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, said a “monumental” $7.5 billion in funding for EV charging stations nationally from the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, along with a $7,500 tax-credit extension for the purchase of new EVs and $4,000 for used EVs, opens the door “for consumers to use tax credits and discounts to save thousands of dollars on home energy costs, while making smart choices for our air quality and environment.”

Colorado is rapidly transitioning to a clean energy economy, said Dominique Gomez, deputy director of the Colorado Energy Office.

“We will continue to push policies and programs that not only reduce emissions, but also save Coloradans money,” Gomez said. “When Governor Polis ran for office, he committed to achieving 100% renewable energy in Colorado by 2040.”

Gomez said wind projects are being built in Colorado for less than 2 cents per kilowatt-hour, and new solar at around 3 cents per kWh. Gomez added this is cheaper than maintaining existing coal plants, which she said typically cost over 4 cents per kilowatt-hour.

“Our shift to renewables is not only crucial in helping us meet our climate goals, but it’s critical for addressing air quality, which affects us all here on the Front Range and particularly disproportionately impacted communities, including low-income families and people of color,” Gomez said.