Raising Colorado's standards for electricity produced by renewable energy will create thousands of new jobs and boost the state's gross domestic product by some two $2 billion.

Governor Bill Ritter made his remarks Thursday, citing a study by Environment Colorado.

It predicts the state would see 4,100 new jobs, $570 million more in wages, and $1.1 billion dollars more in gross domestic product if Colorado doubled the minimum amount of power utilities get from renewable energy.

That's the goal of a measure now before lawmakers.

The bill would require utilities to generate 20 percent of their electric power from renewables by 2020.

That'd also save 18 billion gallons of water that would've been used to cool coal- and gas-fueled turbines.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)