Colorado, it seems, really is becoming a renewable energy mecca. The latest indication is SunPower Corp.'s announcement that it is seeking to build a gigantic photovoltaic solar power plant for Xcel Energy Inc. in the Alamosa area, near the New Mexico border, writes The Associated Press. The 17-megawatt plant, which is big enough to power 15,000 homes, will be the second largest of its kind in North America when completed sometime next year--as long as the Public Utility Commission approves the project (via Reuters and The Wall Street Journal). The plant should help Xcel achieve a legal obligation to provide up to 20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy such as wind and solar power by 2010, according to The Denver Post. Meanwhile, in a semi-related story, at dawn this morning, devout Jews in Colorado and around the world celebrated Birkat Hachamah--the Blessing of the Sun (via 9News).