Washington enacts law to spur building efficiency, resilience upgrades

Leveraging private funding for public good: efficiency and resilience upgrades made easier with C-PACER Upgrades to make commercial and apartment buildings more resilient and energy efficient will soon become easier in Washington. The state legislature has passed and sent to the governor House Bill 2405, the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy and Resilience bill, also…

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Washington makes zero emission vehicles more available and affordable

The Washington State Legislature has passed SB 5811, the  zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) bill, which will increase ​zero emission  vehicle selection in the state and ensure reductions in greenhouse gases from the transportation sector by requiring that ​ZEVs command an increasing share of Washington’s new car market. Washington joins eleven other states in implementing the ZEV program, which places…

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OPALCO Board Rescinds Resolution Opposing Dam Removal

Today, the Orcas Power and Light Cooperative board of directors unanimously rescinded a resolution passed last September in which the board expressed its opposition to removal of four lower Snake River dams as well as the now ongoing Washington stakeholder process that is exploring the social and economic implications of possible dam removal. Confronted with…

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Inslee appoints Hirsh to chair energy advisory committee

Washington Governor Jay Inslee has appointed NW Energy Coalition Executive Director, Nancy Hirsh, to co-chair a 27-member advisory committee to guide an update to the state energy strategy.  The committee’s charge is to identify policies and actions to ensure competitive energy prices, foster a clean energy economy, and ensure the state meets its greenhouse gas…

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Fall 2019 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference Digest

Energy leaders discuss challenges and opportunities as the Northwest transitions to a clean energy system On December 2, the NW Energy Coalition hosted its Fall 2019 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle.  Conference guests participated in discussions and presentations exploring the region’s upcoming transition to an…

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The Harmonious Grid: A new direction for the NW electric system

The first in a series about coming changes to the Northwest electric system In ten years, the NW electric system will be a very different creature . . . we hope.  In addition to reducing and ultimately removing fossil fuel resources, the grid will see another fundamental change — the integration of emerging customer-side resources…

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Coalition members sue Trump administration over emissions rule

NW Energy Coalition members Seattle City Light and National Grid are among nine utilities suing the Trump administration over its plan to replace the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy rule.  The plaintiffs, who call their group the Power Companies Climate Coalition, argue that the Environmental Protection Agency’s ACE rule undercuts…

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Wind power, good for Montana’s economy and Washington’s energy system

State representative, Denise Hayman, encourages Washington investor-owned utilities to replace power from Colstrip with Montana wind Observing that two major Washington utilities — Puget Sound Energy and Avista — are currently weighing options for how to replace energy from the large, coal-fired power plant in Colstrip, Montana, state representative Denise Hayman, from Billings, makes a…

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Jessie Dye receives Doug Still Community Organizing Award

A note from executive Director, Nancy Hirsh, about Doug Still Memorial Community Organizing Award winner, Jessie Dye of Earth Ministry: The Doug Still Memorial Community Organizing Award honors individuals and organizations for engaging citizens in action for a clean and affordable energy future. It is named for Doug Still, a founding member of the NW…

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