"Oregon Energy Plan Includes Smart Grid Expansion"

Gov. John Kitzhaber, D-Ore., has released a draft 10-year energy action plan, which is designed to align the state's economic objectives with its efficiency, renewable energy, transportation and carbon-reduction goals. The draft plan will be open for a 60-day public review and comment period.

The plan presents specific initiatives to be implemented over the short and long terms, focused on energy efficiency, clean energy infrastructure development and transportation improvements that rely on cleaner-burning fuels and more efficient vehicles.

Specifically, the energy plan relies on the following three strategies:

- Maximizing energy efficiency and conservation to meet 100% of new electricity load growth;

- Enhancing clean energy infrastructure development by removing finance and regulatory barriers; and

- Accelerating the market transition to a more efficient, cleaner transportation system.

The plan includes upgrading Oregon's existing infrastructure by expanding its smart grid capacity. Installation of smart meters would allow for utility companies to more intelligently deploy energy to consumers to help increase demand management capabilities.

In addition, battery-based energy storage also can increase the ability to balance intermittent resources, such as wind or solar, or provide an alternative to building new infrastructure, such as transmission line expansion to accommodate generation resources.

"Energy is the issue of our time - both globally and here in Oregon," says Kitzhaber. "No single issue will have a greater impact on our state's economy, environment and quality of life in the coming decade, and I am committed to pursuing the policy, programs and practices needed to ensure we shape a prosperous and sustainable future."The full report can be found here.