A key to encouraging people to install solar panels on their homes is making sure it lowers their electricity bills. That's essentially what net metering does. Continue reading →

Filed under: Renewable energy, Net metering, Pacific Power, Portland General Electric, Solar power

The South County Spotlight broke a big story today on the coal export front. Apparently Portland General Electric is worried about the impact of coal dust on its natural gas power plants at Port Westward. Continue reading →

Filed under: Energy, Coal exports, Portland General Electric

Sometimes the return of one adult salmon or steelhead is more exciting than runs of hundreds or thousands. That’s the situation this year in Central Oregon’s Deschutes River Basin. Continue reading →

Filed under: Water, Deschutes River, Pelton Round Butte hydro project, Portland General Electric, Steelhead

Continue reading →

Filed under: Renewable energy, Transportation, Oregon Department of Transportation, Portland General Electric, Solar highways

Portland Mayor Sam Adams celebrates the opening of the city's "Electric Avenue," where electric vehicle technology is on display and cars can charge up for free. But one day, with a smarter grid, EV owners could make money by using their cars to store excess electricity and sell it back to the grid. Continue reading →

Filed under: Energy, Transportation, Electric cars, Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Portland General Electric

The U.S. Department of Energy just released the results of a survey of 500 people in Texas who were given smart meter display units showing them detailed information about their power usage. Continue reading →

Filed under: Energy, Portland General Electric, Smart grid

Oregon Environmental Quality Commissioner Judy Uherbelau raised a concern before today's vote on an early closure plan for the Boardman coal-fired power plant. Continue reading →

Filed under: Energy, Boardman power plant, Coal, Portland General Electric

The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission has unanimously approved new regional haze rules for Portland General Electric's Boardman facility that promise an end to Oregon's only coal-fired power plant by Dec. 31, 2020. Continue reading →

Filed under: Energy, Boardman power plant, Coal, Portland General Electric

Today, the Environmental Quality Commission will consider DEQ's rule recommendation to approve rules that would allow Portland General Electric's Boardman coal-fired power plant – Oregon's biggest pollution source – to close by the end of 2020 and possibly even sooner. The Boardman plant emits four million tons of greenhouse gases a year, and it is facing new state regional haze rules that would require around $500 million in pollution controls if the plant were to operate through 2040. Continue reading →

Filed under: Energy, Boardman power plant, Coal, Portland General Electric

The Oregonian reports that state regulators have recommended approval of Portland General Electric's plan to close the Boardman coal-fired power plant by the end of 2020. The early closure plan has been much debated this year as new air quality regulations promise to raise the cost of doing business at Boardman. Continue reading →

Filed under: Energy, Boardman power plant, Coal, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Portland General Electric