Jackson said. To assure the viability of the system, Jackson said 'balanced resources, diversified generating capacity and dispatchable resources' are needed." This isn't the first time that Xcel has said that natural gas is vital to providing reliable power as the energy industry moves towards a lower-carbon future. As Energy In Depth wrote in 2019, the Minnesota-based utility acknowledged it will need natural gas to meet its zero-emissions goals as it is relying on technologies that do not yet exist. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported at the time: "Natural gas currently accounts for 12 percent of Xcel's power generation in the Upper Midwest, while coal accounts for 30 percent and wind 18 percent. Xcel is counting on natural gas, which emits about half as much carbon dioxide as coal, to play an important role in supplying dispatchable power as the company exits coal and increases renewables production." Nor is Xcel the only utility embracing the reliability of cleaner-burning natural gas.