Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

Join the NW Energy Coalition for our 2023 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference!

Join us on December 6 in Portland for our first in-person conference since 2019! Network with peers in the clean energy community, hear from expert panelists and keynote speakers, and stick around for our Clean Energy Awards reception. Panelists will discuss how utility planning should change to deliver equitable and affordable outcomes, the role of energy efficiency and distributed energy resources for vulnerable populations, and how the Bonneville Power Administration needs to modernize to drive forward the clean energy transition.  

Members of the NW Energy Coalition are encouraged to stay and join our Member Meeting on December 7 from 8am – 11am.

Panel 1: Energy efficiency and distributed energy resources for vulnerable populations 

Northwest communities are facing challenging economic times and increasing utility costs that are driving up energy burdens, especially for the most vulnerable. Targeted deployment of energy efficiency and distributed energy resources (DERs), such as rooftop solar or storage, can create a more equitable and affordable energy system. How can we use energy efficiency and DERs to not only meet peoples’ energy needs, but also create healthier, more affordable, and more comfortable homes? Can clean electricity planning and programs be more targeted to help utilities, regulators, and policymakers prioritize energy efficiency and DERs for overburdened and vulnerable communities? 

Panel 2: Modernizing the Bonneville Power Administration 

As the owner of the majority of the Northwest’s transmission and marketer of the federal hydropower network, BPA’s policies and actions impact every aspect of our electric system. The electric system is rapidly changing, and we must restore salmon populations and advance decarbonization while modernizing the energy system to be more equitable and affordable. How can we ensure that BPA’s new 20-year contracts with its customer utilities and its investments in transmission and energy efficiency more effectively position the region for the future?

Panel 3: Rethinking utility planning for equity and affordability 

For decades, utilities have developed comprehensive plans attempting to provide reliable and affordable energy for customers. However, outcomes have not always been equitable or affordable for vulnerable and frontline communities. Our energy system is rapidly and dramatically changing, and status quo planning will not effectively deliver tangible benefits to highly impacted communities without changes to how stakeholders participate, how we determine cost parameters, and the metrics utilities use to determine benefits and resource needs. How have planning expectations changed in our region? What best practices are we seeing to effectively increase participation of highly impacted communities, and to develop tangible community benefit indicators? How can the utilities and their governing boards and regulators manage rates for energy burdened customers as we invest in new resources and infrastructure to deliver clean energy. What changes to planning requirements should be made to ensure equity in our energy system? 

5:00 – 7:00pm – Clean Energy Awards Reception

Stick around after the conference for our annual Clean Energy Awards! Hors d’oeuvres will be served and drinks will be available for purchase.

Hotel Room Block at the DoubleTree

Book your hotel room through our room block for a slight discount on your hotel reservation: DoubleTree Hotel Room Booking

Sponsorship and scholarship opportunities are available. Please email [email protected] for more information.