Human-induced global warming poses perhaps the greatest threat ever to our very survival and that of countless other plant and animal species across the globe. To achieve the cuts in emissions in carbon dioxide and other global-warming pollutants needed to avoid the most dire consequences of climate change, we must stop relying on carbon-emitting fossil-fueled power plants for our electricity. In addition to promoting clean energy choices by utilities and regulatory agencies, the NW Energy Coalition is actively engaged in state and regional processes aimed at economy-wide cuts in carbon pollution.
For 75 years, the Bonneville Power Administration has been intrinsic to the growth and prosperity of the Northwest. BPA has been a boon to the Northwest’s economy and a clean energy leader. To meet the challenges – many unforeseeable — of the next 75 years, BPA must deepen its commitment to the long-term health of the region while becoming more open to all of its stakeholders. And it must be agile enough to respond to big changes…
Clean energy advocates and leaders from across the West are urging policymakers to enact policies and support investments in renewable energy and efficiency that would modernize our electric system while slashing greenhouse gas emissions. With President Obama calling for action to address climate disruption in his State of the Union address, and thousands marching on Washington last weekend, a series of white papers and a video are being released to help illustrate how adopting a Clean Energy Vision rather than business as usual will move the West forward…
Wash. Gov. Jay Inslee waded into the legislative fray Wednesday with his most pointed comments so far in state lawmakers’ 25-day-old session, taking aim squarely at ideas put forward by the Republican-dominated Senate majority.
“I’m very concerned that the Senate already has gone backwards on two areas,” the Democratic governor said, citing workers’ compensation and clean energy…
Voters passed Initiative 937 in 2006 to build on Washington’s clean energy heritage. At the time, new renewable energy made up less than 1% of the region’s electricity mix, even though new renewables would reduce risks and boost our economy. Six years after its passage, I-937 is doing exactly what Washington voters wanted. Official utility [...]
Regional electricity providers from Puget Sound Energy to Grays Harbor County Public Utility District recorded impressive accomplishments over the first reporting period for Washington’s clean energy law, Initiative 937. “These utilities should be commended for their energy efficiency achievements, which will save money for their customers,” said Nancy Hirsh, policy director for the Coalition.
The Coalition’s forest biomass resolution and corresponding “Forest Biomass Guidance for Use in Electricity Production” was passed by the full board at the spring meeting on May 19. The guidance principles represent an important step in addressing many of the questions raised regarding the responsible use of the byproducts of forestry activities for energy generation. Below is a formatted PDF copy of the final guidance paper, which we hope you’ll feel free to share with any interested parties.
The document addresses the dearth of available policy guidance on this particular issue and represents an important step forward in engaging a variety of stakeholder viewpoints. While these documents are final for now, Coalition staff plan on keeping a close eye as new policy decisions and studies continue to emerge in this field. We look forward to keeping our members apprised as new information develops.
NW Energy Coalition Resolution on Forest Biomass for Electricity Generation – May 19, 2012
NWEC Forest Biomass Guidance for Use in Electricity Production
Washington’s Clean Energy Initiative (also know as I-937) was passed by voters in November 2006 and requires the state’s major electric utilities to gradually increase the amount of new renewable resources in their electricity supply to 15% by 2020.
Since 2006, The Clean Energy Initiative has generated about $7.5 billion in renewable energy investments in this state, especially in our struggling rural communities, and all-time-record efficiency savings for energy consumers. More investments, more savings and more jobs will come to us as long as we keep the pathway open…
The State Department announced today that it is reevaluating the environmental review of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline project. The reevaluation will include consideration of rerouting the pipeline to avoid sensitive ecological areas in Nebraska. An alternative route would require a new environmental impact statement and would delay a final decision on the tar sands pipeline for as long as 18 months.
The Snake River Alliance has released the first of two reports on the use of coal-fired generation by Idaho’s three electric utilities.
The report, “Idaho’s Dangerous Dalliance with King Coal,” notes that the utilities own or have a stake in no fewer than 29 out-of-state coal plants, the bulk of which are owned or partly owned by PacifiCorp, which does business in eastern Idaho as Rocky Mountain Power.
The NW Energy Coalition (“Coalition”) and the Save Our Wild Salmon coalition (“SOS”) appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Draft Climate Change Summary Report released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Bonneville Power Administration.
CBC reports on a proposed dam project that local tribes and environmental groups say would destroy farmlands, displace wildlife and release unacceptable amounts of greenhouse gasses.
NW Energy Coalition member organizations Sierra Club of B.C. and the David Suzuki Foundation are featured in the article which you can find here.
The 2010 legislative session has finally come to a close and it’s time to take inventory on how clean and affordable energy policies fared in Olympia. Read on to see where we stand…
Tech Blog Ars Technica has an extensive article about how energy efficient technologies, both old and new, are helping to reduce the energy consumption of the datacenters powering the modern world.
The investor activist group that spearheaded a stunning Idaho Power shareholder resolution on climate change last year was awarded the 2009 NGO Activist award by the Climate Change Business Journal last week.
More and more utilities are rushing to substitute gas-fired combustion turbines for coal in their resource plans while rapidly expanding their use of renewables and efficiency. But are the assumptions behind this change correct? The new rush to gas is raising serious questions about domestic and international supply, price and price volatility, and lifecycle carbon emissions. This edition of The Transformer addresses those questions and considers the controversy surrounding liquefied natural gas.
Every five years, the Northwest’s official power planning agency — the Northwest Power and Conservation Council — conducts a fresh assessment of the region’s long-term electricity needs and issues a blueprint for meeting them.
Official NW Energy Coalition comments on a proposed air-quality agreement between Washington state and Centralia, Wash., coal plant owner TransAlta reflect a significant weakening of mercury emissions requirements from those adopted in 11 other states and previously considered by Washington state officials.
An IGCC or “clean coal” plant actually combines three distinct technologies – a gasifier, a combustion turbine and a steam turbine. In the first phase, gasification, coal is heated to produce a gas. In phase two the gas turns a turbine (similar to a high-powered airplane engine) to make electricity. In phase three the excess heat from the turbine is captured and used to boil water to make steam, which is then used to make electricity. [PDF]
Exploring the impacts of climate legislation on low-income communities.
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On Oct. 12, 2007, NW Energy Coalition stalwarts Ralph Cavanagh of Natural Resources Defense Council and Jim Lazar, Consulting Economist went toe-to-toe in a fascinating debate over how to create a fair and effective cap-and-trade system. The debate, a highlight of the Coalition’s fall board conference in Seattle, was recorded by the Seattle Channel and is now available for online viewing…
The NW Energy Coalition is an alliance of more than 115 environmental, civic and human service organizations, progressive utilities, and businesses in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia. We promote development of renewable energy and energy efficiency, consumer protection, low-income energy assistance, and fish and wildlife restoration on the Columbia and Snake rivers.
