TV Efficiency Standards

In November, California became the first state to adopt minimum efficiency standards for new televisions sold in California. The new rules require manufacturers to cut the power televisions use by one-third in two years and in half by 2013 by setting wattage ceilings. With TV manufacturers gearing up to meet the California standard, now is the time for Washington to adopt the same energy efficiency standards.

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The Power of Efficiency

Northwesterners can save enough electricity to power the region’s economic growth over the next decade, according to a new study from the NW Energy Coalition.

The study, The Power of Efficiency: Pacific Northwest Conservation Potential through 2020, also shows increased efficiency can cut new regional natural gas demand in half.

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The Transformer – A bridge to somewhere? Natural gas, LNG and our clean energy future

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.

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Energy Matters Update

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.

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NW Energy Coalition Utility Energy Efficiency Incentives and Disincentives Resolution (decoupling)

WHEREAS there are many barriers to energy efficiency that mean market mechanisms alone will not be enough to move consumers to acquire and install all the cost-effective measures available. Consumers, including residential, commercial, and industrial power users, often lack the time horizon, information, financing, technology and economies of scale. They also do not receive all…

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NW Energy Coalition Feed-in Tariff Resolution – November 14, 2009

Background Feed-in tariffs are policy mechanisms designed to accelerate deployment of specified types of renewable energy production and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They require utilities to interconnect qualifying renewable energy resources and to pay producers a premium price for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) produced by the qualifying renewable energy resource. Resolution Whereas there is scientific…

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Coalition weighs in on TransAlta mercury settlement

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.

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