Destination: Decarbonization - A Smashing Success!

The 8th annual CUB Policy Conference, Destination: Decarbonization, took place on Friday, October 19, providing a dedicated forum for professionals from across the energy sector to discuss decarbonization efforts currently underway, and what needs to be accomplished going forward, in the energy industry as well as the larger economy.

Previous CUB Conferences have discussed climate change, but this was our first conference to focus entirely on decarbonization. The topic was an obvious and important theme for the 2018 conference because Oregon has never been better positioned to completely decarbonize our energy system and all other sectors of the economy, particularly transportation.

CUB Executive Director Bob Jenks began the day by sharing some, frankly, scary statistics on climate change from the 2018 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He pointed out that though the troubling outlook for the climate doesn’t change the goalposts for what we have to achieve, it does add urgency. Bob shared results of two recent decarbonization studies commissioned by PGE and NW Natural, and outlined critical elements of the progress that needs to be made: the complete elimination of coal from our energy mix, transportation electrification, implementing efficiency “up the chain” via the grid and the larger economy, investing in renewables beyond the RPS; solving/compensating for over-generation by way of manufactured gas and hydrogen, and building a more flexible system including hydro power. He closed by articulating CUB’s commitment to keeping these fixes affordable for customers, and by urging Oregon to take a cue from industry and other stakeholders in California, particularly the urgency with which they treat the decarbonization issue in every legislative session (which, unlike Oregon’s legislative calendar, means they are effectively working on it year-round).

In our customary opening Utility CEO Panel, The View From The Top, the CEOs of Avista, Bonneville Power Administration, Idaho Power, NW Natural, Pacific Power, and Portland General Electric each expounded on the decarbonization outlook for their own companies, and the opportunities and challenges they’re grappling with amidst an uncertain and quickly evolving regulatory and policy environment. One consistent perspective that all the panelists seemed to share was voiced by Maria Pope, President and CEO of PGE: in the past, there was a clear divide between utility investments or programs that were green, and those that were affordable. It is possible now for the utilities to make decisions that are both green and affordable, and these “both/and” solutions are increasingly competitive because of technology advancements, the falling cost of renewables, and the development of progressive climate regulation such as SB 1547, the Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Act, which CUB played a critical role in passing during the 2016 legislative session.

Other breakout panels touched on a wide range of related topics, from grid-level efficiency and the role of natural gas in a decarbonized world, to the changing utility business model and deep decarbonization beyond the energy industry. CUB broke a bit with the traditional model for our policy conferences in two of our panels: one, Community Decarbonization and Beyond, was devoted to a case study of community decarbonization efforts in the Cully district of NE Portland. The other, The Connected Utility: Data and Digitalization, discussed technology advancements within and connections to the energy sector, and how rapid development of these technologies and the regulatory environment around them affect customers: everything from broadband accessibility and its impact on programs like online billing and smart meters (particularly exemplified by the “digital urban-rural divide”), to data privacy and security.

CUB was proud and honored to recognize Jackson County Fuel Committee (JCFC) as the 3rd annual winner of our Consumer Champion Award. JCFC provides important support, education and advocacy to mostly low-income and rural communities in Jackson County, and truly embodies the values CUB hopes to recognize and promote through this award. JCFC Education Director Noelle O’Dell gave a moving speech, featuring many stories of victories the organization has achieved over the past four decades, both writ large in proceedings with the PUC and the legislature, as well as accomplishments impacting one customer or family, particularly in need of assistance, at a time. Ms. O’Dell’s keynote speech received a well-earned standing ovation, a first in the history of the CUB Policy Conference.

PUC Chair Megan Decker rounded out the day’s agenda with a closing keynote framing the Commission’s role in the work of decarbonization. She pointed out that while it might be tempting to approve every measure that claims to reduce emissions, because climate change is such an urgent issue, nevertheless the PUC needs to evaluate carbon solutions objectively by least-cost/least-risk standards. A standard within that framework, such as a carbon tax or cap, would help provide the PUC with clarity in making future decisions. But the legislature needs to lead the process of creating that standard, and send a signal to the PUC to take on a climate framing and create definitions compatible with the regulatory system as a whole. No matter what, the PUC is responsible to prepare both customers and utilities for climate change and other threats, while CUB continues to occupy an important role of vigilance on behalf of customers.

CUB is grateful to our generous sponsors for their support, without which the CUB Policy Conference would not be possible. Our thanks in particular to Polar Bear Sponsors Pacific Power and Portland General Electric; Grizzly Bear Sponsors Avangrid Renewables and NW Natural; Brown Bear Sponsors Bonneville Power Administration, Idaho Power, NW Power & Conservation Council, and Oregon Department of Energy; and Media Sponsor Clearing Up. You can view a full list of sponsors on the back page of the conference program.

Stay tuned for information about the 9th annual CUB Policy Conference, and in the meantime Save the Date: Friday November 8, 2019 at the Downtown Portland Hilton! To receive email updates about this and future CUB Conferences, join our Email List (click “CUB Policy Conference” to receive info about CUB conferences rather than general CUB news.)

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