November
15, 2001
Condon
Wind Energy Project Takes to the Skies
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and SeaWest WindPower,
Inc., today announced the execution of an agreement under which
Bonneville will purchase power from a wind energy project being
constructed by SeaWest. The project is located near the town of
Condon, in central Oregon, south of the Columbia River Gorge. BPA
will purchase and market the entire output of the project over a
20-year period.
At 49.8 megawatts, the Condon Wind Energy Project will provide clean,
renewable electricity while increasing local employment and investment
in a rural and economically challenged area of Oregon. Phase I will
be operational by the end of December 2001, and by the end of May
2002, both phases will be on-line and the 83 wind turbines will
be delivering clean energy to thousands of customers in the Northwest.
Located on private farmland, the project will provide additional
income to farmers while leaving the vast majority of their land
available for wheat production.
The Condon project is a model for wind energy development in our
state" said Oregon Congressman David Wu (D-OR). "Much
of Oregon's energy still comes from fossil fuel sources and the
Condon project is a common sense way to clean our air while diversifying
our fuel sources. It will also create new jobs and bring $15 million
in income to the local community over its lifetime. Many farms in
the region are facing severe economic difficulties and projects
like this one can help rural Oregonians maintain their communities."
"This is a great moment for us," said Christian Engsted,
SeaWest CEO. "The signing of this power purchase agreement
marks a critical point in the completion of the Condon project.
With the arrangements now in place with the BPA, we’re all
set to bring the first turbines on line in December. Construction
is well underway and we anticipate smooth sailing to commercial
operation."
"The Condon project will add clean, renewable energy to our
electricity supply while supporting Oregon's rural economy. That's
a pretty good combination." said Rachel Shimshak, director
of the Renewable Northwest Project.
Located in Gilliam County, Oregon, the project will utilize 83 -
600kW wind turbines manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,
of Japan. Mounted on tubular steel towers, 197 feet tall, the wind
turbines have a rotor diameter of 155 feet and will rotate at 24
revolutions per minute. "Mitsubishi is pleased to be supplying
turbines to SeaWest and the BPA for this very important project,"
said Ichiro Itoh, MHI’s Wind Division General Manager.
About SeaWest WindPower, Inc.
Founded in 1982, SeaWest is a leading independent developer of utility-scale
wind energy plants. With the addition of the 49.8 mw Condon project,
SeaWest will have constructed nearly 700 megawatts of wind energy
projects located throughout Wyoming, California and Europe, the
majority of which have been or are currently operated by SeaWest.
Also built and operated by SeaWest, the combined 60 megawatt Foote
Creek I, II and IV wind energy projects located in Wyoming, already
sell energy to the Bonneville Power Administration. For further
information about SeaWest WindPower, and other recent projects,
please visit www.seawestwindpower.com.
Back to the Top
September
18, 2001
New Report Shows Retail Green Power Programs in the Pacific Northwest
Are Growing
According to a new report released today by the Renewable Northwest
Project (RNP), the amount of "green power" sold through
utility programs in the region has doubled since 2000. Approximately
47.1 million kilowatt hours (kWh) are now sold through green power
programs in the region per year, compared to last year’s 23.5
million kWh estimate. In addition, the number of participants in such
programs doubled from 9,300 to 18,675.
Entitled "Powerful Choices II: A Survey of Retail Green Power
Programs in the Pacific Northwest," the report is an update of
the original survey of utility green power programs and documents
the features and progress of sixteen programs being offered to customers
in the region, as well as four others in the West. It was prepared
by Emily Moore, graduate student at Portland State University for
RNP.
"This significant growth in green power sales in the Northwest
demonstrates the strong consumer interest in clean, renewable sources
of energy," said Peter West, director of Green Power Programs
for RNP. "Most encouraging is the support for green power from
over 350 regional businesses," West added.
For the purposes of the report, "green power" is defined
as power supplied by renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal,
low-impact hydro, or by landfill gas. A "retail green power program"
or "green pricing program" is a utility-run program that
allows customers to choose an environmentally preferred power source
directly or otherwise contribute to the development of new renewable
resources.
While most of the surveyed utilities saw increases in sales and participation
over the last year, Pacific Power and Portland General Electric are
the two utilities that gained the most momentum, accounting for 80%
of the increase. Currently, they are selling a combined 28.7 million
kwh per year and representing 60% of the power sold through retail
green power programs in the region.
Included in the report are profiles of each program, discussion of
their key elements, and resources for learning more about green power.
The report also examines how green pricing programs have evolved over
the last year and responded to the recent energy crisis in the West.
It also summarizes the most important elements for successful programs
including: know your customers; partner with community organizations,
environmental groups, and local businesses; be persistent and consistent;
make commitments to further green power purchases; and maintain a
positive attitude.
"RNP hopes the examples provided in the report will encourage
and inform other utilities as they undertake offering a green power
choice to their customers," concluded West.
For a copy of "Powerful Choices II," contact the Renewable
Northwest Project at 917 S.W. Oak Street, Suite 303, Portland, OR,
97205. For a summary of the report, or a downloadable version of the
entire report, visit www.RNP.org (online version available 9/19/01).
A listing in the report does not imply an endorsement of the program.
The Renewable Northwest Project is a regional, non-profit organization
promoting the use of solar, wind and geothermal resources.
Back to the Top
May
3
Northwest Environmentalists Decry Bush's CO2 Policies
In response to the Bush Administration's recent decisions to withdraw
from the Kyoto treaty and forestall policies regulating carbon dioxide
emissions, twenty-seven environmental groups in the Northwest sent
a letter to President Bush. The text of the letter follows.
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20500
Dear President Bush:
We are writing to convey our strongest possible objection to your
recent decisions to forestall regulation of carbon dioxide and to
withdraw from the international treaty to reduce greenhouse gases.
As the leading contributor to the world’s most pressing environmental
and economic challenge, the United States must exert path-breaking
leadership on this issue. And we must do so right now.
The impacts of global climate change are painfully local. In the Pacific
Northwest, global warming strikes directly at the region’s lifeblood:
the water cycle. Snowpack is our primary means of water storage for
hydropower, irrigation, drinking water, and salmon migration. Scientists
expect significant decline in snowpack due to global warming. Competition
for summer water supplies is already fierce in the Northwest. Cut
the snowpack in half, as scientists expect global warming to do, and
you’ve got a region at war.
This year’s record low snowpack is a taste of what’s to
come. We are bracing for severe disruptions of water supply, hydropower,
and salmon migration. As global warming accelerates, these extremely
costly dislocations will become the norm.
Water cycle disruptions won’t be the only effect of global warming
on the Pacific Northwest. A partial list of expected regional impacts
includes:
-Declining forest health and increased frequency of forest pest outbreaks
and fires;
-Increased flooding in winter and spring, due to heavy rainfall and
warmer temperatures, which prevent precipitation from accumulating
as snow;
-Disruption of agriculture due to summer drought;
-Declining air quality and increased public health threats in our
cities;
-Destruction of habitat for salmon and resident fish;
-Shoreline erosion and inundation due to higher sea levels.
Mr. President, we are confident that if a hostile foreign nation proposed
to do these things to our region, you would respond decisively. This
attack is of our own making, but it requires no less determination
and leadership on your part.
Some alarmists suggest that responding to global warming will require
unacceptable economic hardships. On the contrary, we believe that
climate solutions will help our nation prosper. We say this as a region
with a long track record of success in energy efficiency, developing
renewable energy and regulating CO2.
Over the last two decades, we have saved enough power to supply the
entire needs of Seattle, at a fraction of the cost of conventional
power supplies. New renewable energy is being delivered in the Northwest
(as it is in Texas) at prices competitive with fossil fuels. Oregon
has mandatory emission limits for CO2 in new power plants that allow
cost effective offsets and competitively priced power.
Clean vehicle technology can revolutionize the auto industry, and
reducing traffic by providing alternative transportation will dramatically
improve the region’s livability as it reduces greenhouse gases.
In short, the things we must do to reduce greenhouse pollution are
the very same things we need to do to achieve our most important public
policy goals: Improving mobility; achieving energy independence; reducing
exposure to volatile energy prices and supplies; improving the efficiency
and productivity of our businesses; cleaning the air; protecting our
forests; promoting sustainable economic development; and planning
for smart growth.
We are particularly disturbed by your suggestion that environmental
protection is incompatible with our economic goals. Prosperity and
environmental protection are not competing priorities. Indeed, in
our region, economic success is a direct function of our quality of
life. If we pit environmental objectives against economic aspirations,
we are left with only painful trade-offs and unending battles between
competing philosophies.
We have been forging ahead in this region to develop simple, cost
effective solutions. Your actions, however, undermine our efforts.
We will do everything in our power to be part of the solution to global
warming, but the ball is to a large extent in your hands. So it is
with great urgency that we ask you to pick it up and exercise leadership
in climate protection.
Sincerely,
Bill Begbee
Clean Energy Forum
Betty Beverly
Montana Senior Citizens Assoc.
Jeff Bissonnette
Fair & Clean Energy Coalition
Sheryl Carter
Natural Resources Defense Council
Tim Coleman
Kettle Range Conservation Group
Darcy Davis
American Lands Coalition
Dave Finet
The Opportunity Council, WA
Pat Ford
Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition
Eban Goodstein
Greenhouse Network
Oregon Environmental Council
Chris Hagerbaumer
Paul Horton
Climate Solutions
Bob Jenks
Citizens Utility Board, Oregon
Jim Jensen
Montana Environmental Information Center
Rick Johnson
Idaho Conservation League
Margaret MacDonald
Montana Assoc. of Churches
Regna Merritt
Oregon Natural Resources Council
Sue Minahan, Donna Ewing
League of Women Voters, WA
Mike Nelson
Solar Washington
Sara Patton
NW Energy Coalition
Robert Pregulman
WashPIRG
Stan Price
NW Energy Efficiency Council
Heather Rhoads-Weaver
Northwest SEED
Eugene Rosolie
NW Environmental Advocates
Bill Sedivy
Idaho Rivers United
Tom Starrs
Kelso Starrs & Assoc.
Lynne Stone
Boulder-White Clouds Council
Peter West
Renewable Northwest Project
cc: Northwest Congressional delegation
Back to the Top
April
19th
Port of Portland Purchases Green Power
The Renewable Northwest Project, an environmental organization supporting
renewable energy in the region, commends the Port of Portland for
purchasing a significant portion of their electric load from renewable
resources. The Port is meeting the Clean Energy Challenge, standards
set by regional environmental groups for meaningful commitments to
green power purchases by businesses and government agencies. Others
meeting the Challenge include Multnomah County, Lewis and Clark College,
Norm Thompson and Ashforth Pacific.
"Purchasing power from renewable energy has long term benefits
for the environment and public health," commented Diane Zipper,
outreach coordinator for the Renewable Northwest Project. "The
Port uses a tremendous amount of energy in their operations, and this
green power purchase shows they’re thinking about where that
electricity comes from and how they can make a positive impact with
their energy dollars," noted Zipper.
The Port of Portland will purchase renewable energy through Pacific
Power’s Blue Sky program and PGE’s Clean Wind and Salmon
Friendly programs, the bulk of the purchase supporting the wind power
options. Both utilities’ wind power programs stimulate the development
of new wind resources, much of which may come from northeastern Oregon.
"Developing renewable energy, like wind power, offsets our dependency
on coal and natural gas," commented Zipper. "At a time when
the region needs more power and the price of fossil fuels remains
high, renewables are a clean, stable source of energy that bring environmental
and economic benefits to the region. The Port is taking a leadership
role in creating a market for renewable energy," said Zipper.
According to the US EPA, the generation of electricity is the largest
source of industrial air pollution in the nation. Renewable energy
from solar, wind and geothermal resources release little or no pollutants
into the air and water, and are less disruptive to land than mining
fossil fuels or creating large hydro projects. And unlike nuclear
power, renewables produce no hazardous wastes.
The Renewable Northwest Project is an environmental non-profit organization
promoting renewable energy projects and policies in Oregon, Washington,
Idaho and Montana.
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Back to the Top
April
4, 2001
Three Companies to Purchase 100% Green Power; Environmental Groups
Praise Decision
Environmental groups today celebrated three Washington companies for
their purchase of renewable energy to serve 100% of their energy needs.
Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters, Global Energy Concepts LLC, and
Xantrex Technology, Inc. received awards from regional environmental
groups for their actions at an event held at Snohomish Public Utility
District.
"These companies are demonstrating their leadership with these
stunning purchases of clean power," said Rachel Shimshak, director
of the Renewable Northwest Project, a regional environmental organization
promoting renewable energy in the Pacific Northwest. "They are
helping keep the air clean, and helping provide a sustainable energy
future for the region," she added.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the generation
of electricity is the largest source of industrial air pollution in
the nation. Renewable energy from solar, wind, and geothermal resources
does not have the air, water, and land impacts of fossil fuels. Renewable
energy produced in the Northwest helps keep energy dollars at home,
provides jobs in rural areas of the region, and contributes to the
local tax base of a community.
"Batdorf and Bronson, Global Energy Concepts, and Xantrex are
the first large commercial customers in the Northwest to make 100%
commitments to green power. They are setting the pace for others to
follow, and we are honored to present them with the Clean Energy Challenge
Award today," said Shimshak.
Each of the three businesses will be working through the Bonneville
Environmental Foundation to offset the environmental impacts of their
energy use. The Bonneville Environmental Foundation is a non-profit
organization based in Portland, Oregon, which funds renewable energy
projects and habitat restoration in the region.
The Renewable Northwest Project is an environmental, non-profit organization
promoting renewable energy projects and policies in Oregon, Washington,
Idaho and Montana.
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Back to the Top
January
10, 2001
Renewable Advocates Applaud Substantial Pacificorp Wind Energy
Purchase
In a stunning and timely action, PacifiCorp Power Marketing today
announced the purchase of the entire output of the proposed 300 megawatt
Stateline wind energy project to be built next year in Walla Walla
County, WA, and Umatilla County, Oregon. When completed, the Stateline
project will serve over 70,000 households.
The
region’s leading renewable advocacy organization responded
to the news jubilantly.
"This
is a substantial, meaningful action that demonstrates PacifiCorp’s
commitment to clean energy," said Rachel Shimshak, director
of the Renewable Northwest Project (RNP). "At a time when power
prices are skyrocketing in the wholesale market and the region is
short of power, it is a smart business decision to go with stable-priced,
indigenous renewable resources," she added.
PacifiCorp
has played a key role in the region’s development of new renewable
resources. They were initial sponsors of the successful Wyoming
wind project, they have pledged to acquire 50 megawatts of new renewables
(in addition to Stateline) to satisfy a PacifiCorp/Scottish Power
merger agreement, and they are offering their retail customers the
opportunity to choose a wind product directly.
"Through
this wind power purchase, PacifiCorp will help fight global warming
by helping the electricity system avoid emitting over 475,000 tons
of carbon dioxide each year," said Peter West, assistant director
of RNP. Carbon dioxide is the chief contributor to global warming
in the U.S. "It would require more than 200,000 acres of trees
to have the same global warming benefit as this wind plant,"
added West.
The
project will have environmental and economic development benefits
for eastern Washington and Oregon. It will contribute to the tax
base, and also financially benefit farmers on whose land the turbines
are built. The project has the support of the local community, including
the Blue Mountain Audubon Chapter.
Stateline
is being developed by FPL Energy. It has already received the necessary
permits from Walla Walla County, and is applying to the Oregon Energy
Facilities Siting Council for its permit in Oregon. If all permits
are granted, it will be the largest single project in the Northwest
and the country.
The
Renewable Northwest Project is a regional non-profit organization
promoting wind, solar, and geothermal resources in Oregon, Washington,
Idaho, and Montana.
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