Resources & Publications
NWEC comments from recent Clean Air Act public session
NW Energy Coalition policy director Nancy Hirsh presented the following comments at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency public listening session Nov. 7 in Seattle. The session concerned EPA’s plan to set CO2 standards for existing power plants under Section 111d of the Clean Air Act…
Video: Flathead Electric making use of solar, biomass projects
Flathead Electric Co-op and Stoltze lumber have entered into a 20 year deal to supplement some of FEC’s electricity with power generated from a new biomass boiler.
KPAX has the story of a couple of other projects the co-op is working on which could mean big things for power production in the future…
The Transformer – Washington regulators' rulings on Puget Sound Energy set national precedents
In June, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission issued a package of orders on three different Puget Sound Energy cases. The settlement and orders address PSE’s expedited rate filing, its proposed purchase of “coal transition power” from TransAlta Corp.’s coal plant in Centralia, Wash., and – perhaps most significantly – electric and gas decoupling to facilitate increased energy efficiency efforts by the utility.
This package of decisions ranks among the most important utility regulatory victories in decades for clean and affordable energy. The new edition of The Transformer summarizes the rulings and outlines the decoupling mechanism, the expedited rate filing and the TransAlta power purchase agreement…
Celebrating Washington's Clean Energy Success
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…
Comments of the NW Energy Coalition on the Sixth Power Plan Mid-Term Assessment – Situation Scan
The NW Energy Coalition appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the draft Situation Scan related to the Mid-Term Assessment of the Sixth Power and Conservation Plan. We appreciate all of the hard work that staff and Council members put into providing the region with an updated look at the assumptions, information and analysis of…
The Energy Activist – Spring 2012
The founders of the NW Energy Coalition recognized a painful truth: that the bountiful cheap electricity produced by the Northwest’s system of federally financed hydropower dams came at the cost of the incredible wild salmon runs that once defined our watershed and supported myriad cultures and communities. So they made sure the 1980 Northwest Power and Conservation Act required equitable use of Columbia Basin waters for power and fish.
Since then, this Coalition and our partners have had to fight tooth and nail to realize even minimal progress on that mandate. To this day, the federal agencies that run the dams and market their power have failed to offer any legally valid or scientifically defensible plan for recovering the iconic and economically crucial salmon stocks.
The Spring 2012 edition of The Energy Activist looks at the exciting potential to escape that quicksand…
From the Outreach Director: Enjoy clean air and clean energy discussion this May in Kalispell
Recently I had occasion to spout off on the fallacy of the conventional energy wisdom from 30 plus years ago … the very conventional wisdom that the Coalition was born to challenge…
From the Executive Director: Whatever they’re called, solutions tables work
Recently I had occasion to spout off on the fallacy of the conventional energy wisdom from 30 plus years ago … the very conventional wisdom that the Coalition was born to challenge…
Main Article: Time to set the salmon solutions table
‘All-in’ approach can avoid years of litigation, address all stakeholders’ concerns The founders of the NW Energy Coalition recognized a painful truth: that the bountiful cheap electricity produced by the Northwest’s system of federally financed hydropower dams came at the cost of the incredible wild salmon runs that once defined our watershed and supported myriad…
Energy Efficiency Brownbag Lunch- A special presentation on residential energy efficiency
The Coalition convened a panel of experts to update us on their energy efficiency programs in the Puget Sound area. What’s working? What motivates people to be interested in energy efficiency? What are the barriers to investing in efficiency retrofits? How does alternative financing play a role? Hear from panelists on these and many other topics…