Bozeman Daily Chronicle guest column: Building on 10 years of renewable energy

By Alicia Healey | June 22, 2015

Last month, Montana celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). Jeff Fox of Renewable Northwest lauds the legislation as a success because major utilities have met the 15 percent renewable energy requirement, compliance has not increased costs to consumers and new renewable energy development has created more than 1,500 jobs in the state. Fox says, “We must stay focused on our opportunities and challenges in order to ensure that the next 10 years of renewable energy in Montana are an even bigger success.”

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How clean energy is faring in Northwest state legislatures

By Alicia Healey | April 13, 2015

This fall and spring, NW Energy Coalition staff have been working in state legislative sessions throughout the region to advance and especially to defend clean and affordable energy laws. Each legislature is different, but many of the issues being addressed are familiar ones: energy efficiency, including building codes; renewable energy incentives and targets; distributed generation options, particularly resident-sited solar power; and coal plants and climate. Low-income protection and electric vehicle infrastructure are also getting legislative looks.

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Unclouding the Council's crystal ball: What we look at changes everything

By Alicia Healey | March 4, 2015

Scenario planning lies at the heart of the analysis used to develop the 7th Northwest Power and Conservation Plan. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council wants your help in selecting and shaping the scenarios to be used. The 7th Plan will guide utilities’ energy choices, theoretically for the next 20 years and practically for at least five. Please look over the proposed scenarios and let the Council – and us – know which ones they must consider seriously while developing the 7th Plan.

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7th Power and Conservation Plan vehicle to clean energy future

By Alicia Healey | January 16, 2015

Every five years, the region’s official power planning agency prepares an updated 20-year forecast of the Northwest’s electric power needs and a plan for how those needs should be met. The forthcoming 7th Plan will help us raise the bar higher, capitalize on our region’s clean energy success and set us on the course to a cleaner, more affordable and wildlife-friendly future. We need all hands on deck … starting now!

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Northwest electricity consumers enjoying higher and higher energy savings

By Alicia Healey | November 19, 2014

Northwest utilities and their customers continue to beat their regional energy efficiency targets and remain on-course to exceed the five-year savings goal established by the 6th Northwest Power and Conservation Plan. In 2013, the region achieved 268 average megawatts of energy efficiency. According to the region’s official power planning agency, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, that’s enough negawatts (energy savings) to satisfy the electricity needs of more than 180,000 Northwest homes.

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