CUB Conference Preview: Oregon’s Path to “100%”

CUB’s ninth annual Policy Conference, Clean Energy Communities / Reliable Systems, will take place on Friday November 8 at the Downtown Portland Hilton. Tickets are still available, but we are now just one day away from the October 11 (11:59pm) Early Bird Deadline. Register today to secure your discounted ticket before they’re gone! I’m pleased to offer the fifth installment of our CUB blog series previewing each of the breakout panels at this year’s conference. Today’s blog is an overview of the panel Clean and Renewable: Oregon’s Path to “100%”.

The picture is clearer and more concerning with each passing year: Climate change has already triggered, and will continue to trigger, near- and long-term harms to communities around the world, the United States, and here in the Northwest. The high altitude deserts that cover a significant portion of the American West/Southwest; the Central U.S.-Canadian Border; New York and New Jersey; and even Downeast Maine (for non-Mainers: yes that is the proper geographic term) already suffer extreme climate change, including hotter conditions (over 2.0 degrees Celsius) than were experienced through most of human history.

Understandably, this has triggered a concerted public policy response from some states and electric utilities (though not from the federal government), to drive down greenhouse gas (shorthand: carbon) emissions. In the past year alone, several state legislatures and electric utilities have announced ambitious plans – some economy-wide and some not; some binding and some not – to address climate change by way of carbon emissions reductions:

• California, having already extended its (still) singular and economy-wide cap-trade-and-invest program in 2017 out to 2030, increased the earlier landmark Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) target of 50 percent by 2030 up to 60 percent by 2030 and set a 100 percent “carbon free” electricity target by 2045.
• New Mexico, a heavily coal-reliant state not historically known for bleeding-edge climate policy, increased its previous 20 percent RPS to 80 percent by 2040, with an additional “zero-carbon” by 2050 goal.
• New York, one of the most populous states and largest economic generators in the U.S., passed sweeping legislation in 2019 that targets 100 percent “carbon free” electricity generation by 2040 and 100 percent “net-zero” economy-wide carbon emissions by 2050.
• Nevada increased its 25 percent RPS by 2025 to 50 percent by 2030 while, like New Mexico, establishing a non-binding goal of 100 percent “zero carbon” by 2050.
• Washington, earlier this year, required utilities to provide 100 percent “greenhouse gas neutral” electricity by 2030 via RPS eligible renewables (largely wind and solar), existing hydro, and a limited amount of carbon offsets.
• Idaho Power released plans earlier this year for a 100 percent “clean” energy supply mix by 2045. Xcel Energy, an investor-owned utility that serves power needs across eight Western states, has similar aims for 100 percent “zero-carbon” energy by 2050; and Portland General Electric, to its credit, has embraced science-based mid-century decarbonization goals.

Here in Oregon, CUB helped pass the landmark Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Act in 2016 (Senate Bill 1547), which eliminates coal from the state’s electric mix by 2030 and doubles the previous RPS of 25 percent by 2040 to 50 percent (meaning 80 percent “carbon free” with existing non-RPS hydro). This past Oregon legislative session, the Legislature came just shy of passing the Clean Energy Jobs bill and is expected to revisit the topic of cap-trade-and-invest during the 2020 session that begins in February. (Three proposed Oregon ballot measures form a new political and policy backdrop for this renewed legislative push.)

Yet policy goals are sometimes aspirational and not necessarily linked to concrete, actionable plans. But the above goals and requirements indicate an important shift in the way a growing list of states and electric utilities think about the near- and long-term risks climate change poses to their residents and customers. And whether emphasizing the electric grid or the entire economy, the above goals also require significant behavior change on the part of not only energy suppliers and large carbon emitters regarding their compliance with enforceable policy, but also consumers regarding, for example, their embracing new modes of transportation and home heating and cooling.

At the same time, recognizing that those already facing environmental, social, and economic challenges experience the most acute effects of climate change, how do we ensure equity and engagement as we develop and implement policy?

What decarbonization measures are next for Oregon’s electric and natural gas utilities? What is the potential role of gas (renewable, synthetic, or otherwise) in a heavily decarbonized future? What exactly do we mean by “100 percent”? What do we mean by “clean” and “renewable” energy? What about transportation and the built environment? These are all big questions, indicating the unique complexity of the task that is decarbonization in the face of climate change. To help tackle these questions and more, we’ve assembled an impressive group of panelists including:

• Anna Chittum - Director of Renewable Resources, NW Natural
• Wendy Gerlitz - Policy Director, NW Energy Coalition
• Adam Richins - VP of Customer Operations & Business Development, Idaho Power
• David Van’t Hof - Attorney/Energy Consultant, David Van’t Hof Legal and Strategic Services
• Ranfis Villatoro - Oregon State Policy Coordinator, BlueGreen Alliance

Visit the links above to read more about each of our expert panelists. I encourage readers to take a look at our CUB Conference Materials section as well, which has been filled out with a variety of presentations, white papers, and law review articles for our audience’s reference and education. This CUB conference has been approved for 5.75 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits from the OR State Bar, and accreditation from the WA State Bar is pending.

CUB is grateful to our generous sponsors for making this event possible – particularly Polar Bear sponsors NW Natural, Pacific Power, and Portland General Electric; and Media Sponsor Clearing Up. Keep up with CUB Conference news by signing up for our email list, and on Twitter at #CUBCon19!

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