Dec. 2024 Newsletter – Clean & Affordable Energy Conference summary and regional updates
Fall 2024 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference Recap
This year, we hosted over 200 people in Seattle, WA, for our fall Clean & Affordable Energy Conference. We featured three panel discussions: balancing energy affordability as we decarbonize, exploring opportunities to further advance Tribal-led energy development, and achieving a new governance structure that opens the opportunity for a unified Western energy market. And we broke into small groups to discuss and share ideas around breaking down silos to address meeting energy needs equitably. Read more details on these topics.
Conference: R.U.N. in Unity Convening
The second annual Rise Up in Northwest Unity Convening takes place from December 16 to 18, 2024, in Kennewick, WA, at the Three Rivers Convention Center. Attendees will arrive on December 16, after which the two-day gathering will kick off on December 17. Its focus will be on safeguarding the Northwest’s precious life sources—water, orcas, and salmon. Join the conference to come together on three core areas:
- Education: Dive deep into current water and wildlife challenges with expert-led discussions.
- Cultural Awareness: Learn from Indigenous communities, impacted communities, and lower Snake River users who have long protected these essential ecosystems.
- Solution Building: Contribute to actionable strategies that will shape a resilient and sustainable future for the Northwest.
Questions? Contact Kayeloni Scott at kayelonis@nezperce.org or 208-790-1815 with any questions or for more information.
DOUBLE Your Impact for NWEC!
This December, we invite you to donate to the NW Energy Coalition to support our work in working toward a clean, affordable and equitable energy system in the Northwest.
Through your donations, membership, and participation in our organization, the Coalition is able to do our important work towards an affordable and equitable clean energy transition in the Northwest. Thank you for your support.
Regional updates
Oregon and Washington
PacifiCorp is struggling to make progress toward its clean energy targets in Oregon and Washington.
In Oregon, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) found that PacifiCorp isn’t making progress toward HB 2021 clean energy goals. OPUC opened an investigation to look into their own authority to uphold the mandates in HB 2021 by directing clean energy resource procurement. In a recent ruling (UM2345), OPUC recommended the following: “The purpose of this docket is to establish a scope and timeline to adjudicate our Commission’s authority to ‘order PacifiCorp to issue an RFP [Request for Proposal], establish a date certain by which PacifiCorp must issue an RFP to market, and address the volume and nature of resources PacifiCorp seeks in the RFP.’”
NWEC co-authored a joint brief on November 13 alongside allies Sierra Club, Green Energy Institute, Mobilizing Climate Action Together, and Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, concluding that HB 2021 provides the Commission authority to direct PacifiCorp to both issue an RFP and to procure resources from that RFP. Every party in the proceeding except PacifiCorp reached the same conclusion. NWEC and allies are working on a joint reply brief due December 11, and the Commission will hear oral arguments on January 16, 2025, before targeting a decision by February 12, 2025.
In Washington, PacifiCorp’s 2023 Biennial Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP) is currently in an adjudicated process at the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) because PacifiCorp is requesting to lower their interim renewable energy targets significantly – from 60% to 33% in 2025 (UE-210829). NWEC is jointly intervened with Renewable Northwest in this adjudication and is advocating for PacifiCorp to maintain the targets and establish minimum designation of clean energy benefits for named communities.
Idaho
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) recently approved an Idaho Power request to add a 150MW battery project to an existing substation near Boise. This is a good example of a clean resource, added to support reliability, and located appropriately. The Idaho PUC also approved updates to Idaho Power’s Clean Energy Your Way program that enables large customers to contract for 100% clean energy delivery. The City of Boise is using this program to purchase new solar power to serve the airport and main wastewater treatment plant with 100% clean energy.
Montana
Save the date for our Spring 2025 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference in Missoula, MT: Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Check our website in the next couple updates and details. We’ll see you there!
Northwest
On Nov. 4., Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) held a day-ahead markets workshop and released the results of the Energy and Environmental Economics (E3) update of the 2023 Western Markets Exploratory Group (WMEG) study. The new E3 study shows that BPA (and its customers) would gain $80 million to over $200 million a year more from joining the Extended Day Ahead Market (EDAM) as compared to SPP Markets+, the latter of which BPA continues to support.
Earlier this fall in October, NW Energy Coalition and others co-sponsored a report by the Brattle Group that produced a focused analysis entitled BPA Day-Ahead Market Participation Benefits Study. The study showed there would be over $100 million in greater annual benefits from joining EDAM. It is important to see that the two studies had similar economic outcomes. For the full study, to listen to the webinar on the study results, and for more information on NW Energy Coalition’s position, visit our website.
Staff updates
Alessandra de la Torre, Policy Associate, at the CUB Energy Policy Conference in Portland in October.
Alma Pinto, Energy Justice Policy Associate, at the CUB Energy Policy Conference in Portland in October.
Charlee Thompson, Policy Associate, at the Oregon Solar + Storage Conference in Portland in October.
Nancy Hirsh, Executive Director, at the Washington State Solar Summit in Seattle in October.
And Mike Goetz, Senior Policy and Regulatory Counsel, presented at the Fall 2024 Joint CREPC-WIRAB Meeting.
Welcoming new staff
In Montana, we welcome Policy and Regulatory Associate Derek Goldman, who started in November. Previously, he was the national field director and N. Rockies representative with the Endangered Species Coalition, advocating on wildlife issues in the region. For more than a decade, Derek was a campaign manager with M+R Strategic Services, where he worked to advance policy at the local, state and national level, on issues ranging from land and water conservation, wildlife, and climate, to campaign finance reform, transportation. Derek initially entered the advocacy space as a volunteer organizer with a Latin American solidarity group. He has a MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana and has worked as a river guide and a snowboard instructor. Derek lives in Missoula, Montana, where he enjoys adventuring on land, water and snow.
In Seattle, Jill Wasberg started at the Coalition in September as the Communications and Events Manager. She has worked in communications, event planning, writing and development for regional environmental organizations including Save Our Wild Salmon, American Rivers, Washington Wilderness and Recreation Coalition, and Washington Wild. She most recently worked for 10 years in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District as the editor in chief of the International Examiner and for InterIm CDA. She has a BA in English from the University of Washington and a Masters in Environmental Studies from the Evergreen State College.