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    Integrating energy and the environment in the Columbia River Basin

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    The Council works to protect and enhance fish and wildlife in the Columbia River Basin. Its Fish & Wildlife Program guides project funding by the Bonneville Power Administration.

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  • Meetings
    See next Council meeting February 9 - 10, 2021 in TBA or webinar › See all meetings ›

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    Recent and Upcoming Meetings

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    • Aug 2020 Wed 05
      9:30 am—3:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee Webinar
    • Aug 2020 Tue Wed 11 - 12
      Council Meeting
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      9:00 am—1:00 pm RTF Meeting: August 18, 2020
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      9:30 am—3:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
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      RTF Meeting: September 9, 2020
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      10:00 am—11:00 am Informal Hatchery Workgroup Meeting
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      9:30 am—11:00 am RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
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      9:30 am—12:30 pm Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
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      9:30 am—12:30 pm Power Committee Webinar
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      9:00 am—1:00 pm RTF Meeting: January 20, 2021
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      9:00 am—12:00 pm Regional Coordination Forum
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      9:00 am—12:00 pm Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
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      8:30 am—11:30 am Power Committee Webinar
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      RTF Meeting: February 17-18, 2021
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      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
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      9:00 am—3:30 pm SIF: 2021 Power Plan and DEI
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      RTF Meeting: March 16-17, 2021
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      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
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      9:00 am—3:00 pm RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
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      8:30 am—11:30 am Power Committee Webinar
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      RTF Meeting: May 11-12, 2021
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      8:30 am—11:30 am Power Committee Webinar
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      1:00 pm—4:00 pm RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
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      RTF Meeting: June 15-16, 2021
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    • Jul 2021 Tue Wed 20 - 21
      RTF Meeting: July 20-21, 2021
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  • Reports and Documents

    Browse reports and documents relevant to the Council's work on fish and wildlife and energy planning, as well as administrative reports.

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    Columbia River History Project

Close

Energy efficiency will help meet EPA's carbon rules

August 7, 2014
John Harrison

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As a region, the Northwest has a decided advantage in meeting the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed carbon emission rules for power plants: energy efficiency and our success in achieving it.

In June, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed rule to reduce carbon emissions from U.S. power plants by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.

Unlike most prior EPA air emissions regulations, this proposal sets limits on CO2 emission rates (pounds per megawatt-hour of electricity generated) at the state level rather than for generating facilities themselves, but the EPA would allow states to join together to develop and implement carbon-reduction plans to comply as a region. Such collaboration could include a regional cap-and-trade program or regional development of zero-carbon resources like energy efficiency and renewable resources.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because the Northwest states have been collaborating on long-term energy planning for more than 30 years. Over that time, the region has saved more than 5,300 average megawatts, the power equivalent of five cities the size of Seattle. The Council’s Sixth Power Plan predicted that more than 85 percent of the new demand for power over the 20-year planning horizon could be met with energy efficiency.

At the Council’s August meeting, the power planning staff reported that if the energy efficiency goals in the plan and state renewable portfolio standard goals are met, the Northwest is well positioned as a region to meet the EPA’s proposed CO2 emission standards. However, the ability to achieve energy efficiency varies according to a utility's resource portfolio, and there is also the issue of access to energy efficiency potential across service territories.

These are issues that will be addressed by the Council in its Seventh Power Plan. Work on the new plan begins later this year.

Tags: 
Energy Efficiency

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