Editing Xcel Energy (section)

== Generation portfolio ==
{{Image frame
 |width = 300
 |align=right
 |pos=bottom
 |content=<div style="margin: 15px 5px -40px -50px; font-size: 80%;">{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart
| width=300
| height=200
| group 1 = 34 : 38 : 41 : 38 : 41 : 47 : 49 : 53 : 50
| x legends = 2015: : 2017 : : :2020 : : :2023
| units suffix = %
| colors = blue
| group names = Annual Carbon-Free Energy Generation Proportion
}}</div>
|caption = Annual Portion of Xcel Energy's Generation from Carbon-Free Sources over Time<ref name="xcel10k2023"/>{{rp|10}}
<ref name="xcel10k2022">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 23, 2023 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2022/ar/Xcel_Energy-AR2022.pdf}}</ref><ref name="xcel10k2021">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 23, 2022 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2021/ar/Xcel_Energy-AR2021.pdf}}</ref><ref name="xcel10k2020">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 17, 2021 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2020/ar/Xcel_Energy-AR2020.pdf}}</ref><ref name="xcel10k2019">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 21, 2020 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2019/ar/Xcel_Energy-AR2019.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|4}}<ref name="xcel10k2018">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 22, 2019 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2019/ar/Xcel_Energy-AR2019.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|7}}<ref name="xcel10k2017">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 23, 2018 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2017/ar/Xcel_Energy-AR2017.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|25}}<ref name="xcel10k2016">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 24, 2017 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2016/ar/Xcel_Energy-AR2016.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|26}}<ref name="xcel10k2015">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 19, 2016 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2016/ar/Xcel_Energy-AR2016.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|26}}
}}
{{Pie chart
| thumb  = left
| radius = 100
| caption= Xcel's Energy Capacity by Source Type 2023
| footer = <ref name="xcel10k2023"/>{{rp|10}}
| label1 = Coal
| value1 = 19
| color1 = black
| label2 = Natural Gas
| value2 = 30
| color2 = grey
| label3 = Nuclear
| value3 = 10
| color3 = green
| label4 = Wind
| value4 = 32
| color4 = blue
| label5 = Solar
| value5 = 4
| color5 = #A6CEE3
| other  = 5
| other-color = red
| other-label = Other
}}
Xcel Energy primarily provides energy from wind, natural gas, and coal. It has increased its share of carbon-free energy generation over time. Primarily by adding wind capacity. It has also lowered its greenhouse gas emissions by reducing coal consumption in favor of natural gas. Xcel plans to continue this trend by converting some coal plants to natural gas and closing others.<ref name="xcel10k2023">{{cite report|title=Xcel Energy Inc-10k |issue= 1–3034 |date= Feb 21, 2024 |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/586283047/files/doc_financials/2023/q4/44e72ff2-0fdf-4b99-aab9-827549c741f7.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|10–12}} Some environmental activists argue that Xcel is not acting on plans to stop using coal plants fast enough.<ref name="brashplan">{{cite news |last1=Brasch · |first1=Sam |title=Xcel Energy Says Natural Gas Is Critical As It Transitions To More Renewable Power |url=https://www.cpr.org/2021/02/24/xcel-energy-clean-energy-plan-natural-gas-transition-renewable-power/ |work=Colorado Public Radio |date=24 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

Xcel Energy owns and operates three wind farms.<ref name="xcel10k2023"/>{{rp|11}} In October 2011, Xcel Energy set a world record for electricity from wind power, with an hourly penetration of 55.6% of production from wind.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jaffe|first=Mark|title=Xcel sets world record for wind power generation|url=http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19342896|access-date=18 October 2012|newspaper=The Denver Post|date=15 November 2011|quote=Early on the morning of Oct. 6, Xcel Energy set a world record for electricity from wind power.}}</ref> At peak generation wind is the largest source of energy capacity for Xcel.<ref name="xcel10k2023"/>{{rp|10–11}}

Xcel Energy owns and operates two [[nuclear power plant]]s: 
* [[Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant]] near [[Monticello, Minnesota]]
* [[Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant]] near [[Red Wing, Minnesota]] 
and stores the spent fuel from these nuclear plants on site in independent spent fuel storage installations. (ISFSIs).<ref name=nuclear>{{cite web|access-date=2009-11-25 |url=http://www.xcelenergy.com/Minnesota/Company/About_Energy_and_Rates/Power%20Generation/Pages/NuclearPower.aspx |publisher=Xcel Energy |title=Nuclear Power |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091231080356/http://xcelenergy.com/Minnesota/Company/About_Energy_and_Rates/Power%20Generation/Pages/NuclearPower.aspx |archive-date=December 31, 2009 }}</ref>

[[Biomass]] electricity comes from organic fuel sources. Xcel Energy has contracts for about 110 megawatts of electricity from biomass generators. Two in northern Minnesota are fueled by forest harvest residue, such as treetops and limbs. A third facility, brought on line in 2007 in western Minnesota, generates power using turkey litter.<ref name="xcelenergy.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.xcelenergy.com/staticfiles/xe/Corporate/Corporate%20PDFs/2008_Xcel_Energy_Corporate_Responsibility_Report.pdf|title=Xcel Energy: 2009 Xcel Energy Corporate Responsibility Report|website=www.xcelenergy.com/staticfiles}}</ref>

[[File:Xcel Energy Bay Front Power Plant (a).jpg|thumb|The Bay Front Power Plant in Wisconsin]]
Xcel Energy's Bay Front plant in [[Ashland, Wisconsin]], is a three-unit generating station that has become a model for the creative use of fuels: coal, waste wood, railroad ties, discarded tires, [[natural gas]], and [[petroleum coke]].  Two of the three Bay Front operating units already use biomass as their primary fuel.  Xcel Energy recently proposed a plan to install biomass gasification technology at Bay Front. The [[waste-to-energy]] facilities use waste that would otherwise end up in [[landfills]]. The Wisconsin waste-to-energy plant burns wood waste in combination with [[refuse-derived fuel]] (RDF).{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}