"Gov. Kitzhaber's energy plan seeks big ideas"
Governor John Kitzhaber has corralled a group of top thinkers in energy and conservation to draft a 10-year plan for Oregon’s energy future. The move likely promises new gains in energy efficiency, a road map to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and streamlined siting requirements for new renewable energy projects. It also looks to promote strong central management of climate and energy goals at the state, a unique approach in Oregon government that will likely consolidate its current approach to energy management.
Gov. John Kitzhaber has asked his energy plan task force to come up with some bold ideas. (Photo by Sustainable Business Oregon)
By Lee van der Voo
Sustainable Business Oregon
Governor John Kitzhaber has corralled a group of top thinkers in energy and conservation to draft a 10-year plan for Oregon’s energy future.
The move likely promises new gains in energy efficiency, a road map to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and streamlined siting requirements for new renewable energy projects.
It also looks to promote strong central management of climate and energy goals at the state, a unique approach in Oregon government that will likely consolidate its current approach to energy management.
For now, the plan is a series of recommendations from small groups, dubbed design teams, to the governor. Sent to Kitzhaber and his staff Dec. 16, they outline pie-in-the-sky goals for siting new energy facilities, lowering transportation emissions, boosting energy efficiency, mixing energy resources and streamlining governance.
“We have given the design team a pretty free set of boundaries,” said Michael Jung as policy director for Silver Spring Networks and a founding board member of Smart Grid Oregon. “There is not much that’s been taken off the table.”
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