Resources & Publications
Energy Activist – Summer 2008
Winning the War on Coal
Coal is on the ropes, but its backers aren’t about to throw in the towel.
Read MoreThe Transformer – June 11, 2008
Vol. 5, No. 3 When big money talks, it pays to listen: Financiers cast critical eye on coal plant proposals Background This February, a press release from four of the country’s largest financial institutions caught utilities’ attention. Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Chase and Bank of America announced they had endorsed a set of carbon principles to…
Read MoreThe Transformer – February 25, 2008
Points and counterpoints on decoupling Transformer Background Our Nov. 28 Transformer on decoupling, a strategy for overcoming potential revenue losses for utilities that invest in energy efficiency, elicited a flurry of electronic responses. Several writers were complimentary; others sought clarifications of insider terminology (we’ll keep working on that!) or additional information, which we supplied them…
Read MoreThe Transformer – February 6, 2008
Size matters ‘Mega’ wind farms could make new transmission practical Background The number and size of new and projected Northwest wind farms have exploded, matching the worldwide annual growth rate of 37-percent for the past seven years. Wind, however, continues to provide just a small fraction of the region’s power. To really combat global warming…
Read MoreThe Transformer – November 28, 2007
Volume 4, Number 8 Decoupling 101: Breaking the link between energy sales and utility revenue Background Who doesn’t love conservation? We all know that more efficient energy use is the cheapest and cleanest resource going. The recognition that “the cheapest kilowatt is the one we don’t use” hardly qualifies as a “Eureka!” moment any more.…
Read MoreEnergy Activist – Winter 2007
NW Energy Coalition’s 25th Anniversary
Fresh off some of its greatest victories, the NW Energy Coalition charges into its second quarter century.
Coalition stalwarts recall the personalities, the battles, the joys and accomplishments in 25 years of fighting for a clean energy future.
Read MoreThe Transformer – October 29, 2007
Volume 4, Number 7 PacifiCorp’s dilemma Background PacifiCorp is a large investor-owned utility serving portions of six states: Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, California, Washington and Idaho. In the not-to-distant past, NW Energy Coalition and other clean-energy advocacy groups commended PacifiCorp’s foresight in assessing the cost of carbon emissions while compiling its 2004 integrated resource plan (IRP)…
Read MoreThe Transformer – August 20, 2007
Volume 4, Number 6 Clean energy forces win a lot, lose a little in BPA’s power allocation scheme Table of Contents Background Double, double, toil and trouble – The basic problem Renewed interest – Renewables commitment Tracks of my tiers – Meeting load growth How high’s the water, momma? – Power allocations Fish keep the…
Read MoreDoug Still Obituary
A giant of the Northwest’s clean-energy and social-justice movements is gone. Doug Still organized and served the needs of migrant farm workers in the 1950s, marched for civil rights in Chicago and Selma in the ’60s, fought for equal opportunity in education as head of United Ministries in Public Education, which he helped found in…
Read MoreThe Transformer – June 25, 2007
Volume 4, Number 5 Power Council-BPA study shows feasibility of integrating wind in the Northwest Background In December 2004, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council – the regional power-planning agency representing the governors of Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington – released its 5th Northwest Power Plan. The 5th Plan was groundbreaking. Not only did it…
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