In order to understand what mix of resources will be used to meet the region’s power needs in 2015, we need to understand how we currently meet the electricity demand of our homes and businesses in the Northwest.

Thanks to our water-rich mountains and major rivers, the Northwest is especially notable for its use of hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power is a renewable resource using electrical generation facilities located at dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers and their tributaries. Constructed back in the early 20^th century to help the unemployed American population get back to work again during the Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated many of the public works projects, such as Bonneville and Grand Coulee, to build most of the dams we use to generate electricity in the Northwest today. As a result, the Northwest has one of the largest and best hydroelectric systems in the world, meeting more than 90 percent of the region’s energy needs.

As we look to the future, the possibility of constructing more dams is extremely unlikely due to concerns for fish migration, especially the native salmon and other species of fish which are in decline. Despite the fact that hydroelectric power is a renewable resource, the environmental concerns over the loss of fish and wildlife habitat has caused some people to call for the possible removal of dams. Although it’s unlikely that the region’s large hydroelectric dams will be removed at any time in the immediate future, it’s clear that new hydroelectric development will be limited at best. Also, a lack of rainfall and sufficient snowpack in the mountains has made the Northwest’s hydroelectric system increasingly vulnerable during drought years. Yet our region continues to grow. With the inevitable increases in population, business and industry in the Northwest, we must look at alternative ways to fulfill our growing needs for power.

When considering electrical generation resources, we can look at basically two different types of sources: renewable and non-renewable. A renewable source is a natural resource that can be used without limitations to obtain power. Renewable sources, such as wind, solar energy and fuel cells, also have the least impact on the environment because in the process of generation, the resource is replenished by natural ecological and solar-based cycles. Non-renewable resources that use fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil and coal, are not sustainable, and, indeed, are detrimental to our environment, affecting air quality and contributing to global warming.

Through research conducted by utility companies here in the Northwest, customers have expressed their preference for using conservation technology and renewable sources. Through extensive research and development, wind, solar and geothermal energy resources, as well as the continued development of fuel cells, combined with a comprehensive energy conservation effort, will be the best approach to meet the energy demands of the Northwest in 2015.

Energy Conservation

The first and best resource to offset the need for more electricity is energy conservation. Conservation as an energy resource is one that is considerably less expensive than other new resources, both economically and environmentally. Even though the Northwest’s energy rates are low when compared to other parts of the country, energy costs continue to rise. Conservation measures can help Northwest customers save money on monthly electric bills immediately, but long-term savings may be even greater.

Energy conservation makes really good sense. A slower increase in energy demand will mean savings by deferring or reducing the need for new generating plants. As a result, a comprehensive energy conservation policy creates a double-payback, lowering energy bills and postponing the costs of new generation facilities.

Since space heating is by far the greatest energy user in the home, comprehensive weatherization programs can help the region conserve energy. Energy efficient appliances and lighting are other ways that consumers can reduce energy consumption around the home. It’s a simple philosophy: less means more.

Wind

Wind energy is the fastest growing energy resource in the Northwest in the last 10 years, and today, wind power is showing great promise in meeting growing energy demands. The Columbia basin in southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon is a wind-rich environment particularly suited for development.

A number of traits make wind generation an attractive option, and this has led to the construction of wind plants on every continent on Earth except Antarctica. Using large turbine generators to turn wind into energy, this generation source has minimal impact on the environment and is a clean source for power.

So, how exactly does wind power work? The machines utilize the wind blowing through the blades to rotate a generator. Each machine has a weather station and computers that provide accurate information on wind speed and direction, which in turn controls the machine to capture the maximum amount of energy from the wind. Modern machines produce electricity when the wind velocity reaches 10 miles per hour and produce full power when the velocity is about 18 miles per hour. The wind machines continue to generate electricity in winds up to 60 miles per hour, when they are shut down to protect them from damage during extremely windy periods.

What makes wind generation really compelling is its low environmental impact. Every kilowatt

hour of wind energy that is produced displaces a kilowatt hour of energy generated from fossil fuels. Wind farm installations in the U.S. have increased by 10 percent in 2002, with 410 megawatts (MW) of new equipment going into service (enough to meet the annual needs of approximately 120,000 average American homes).

Solar

Solar energy is another potential energy resource in the Northwest. The relatively sunny environments of eastern Oregon and Washington provide the best potential for solar energy generation. Solar energy includes an active and passive process. Active solar energy uses photovoltaic panels to absorb the sun’s energy and generate electricity for storage in batteries. Passive solar energy uses the sun as a natural heating element throughout the four seasons.

And in the Northwest, customers overwhelmingly support the development of solar technology.

Does solar energy really work in the Northwest? The answer is yes. Even in the Willamette Valley and Puget Sound regions, solar energy has shown great potential for water heating and passive solar applications. Appropriately designed and installed solar systems can go quite a ways toward offsetting the energy costs for homes and businesses.

Solar technologies that have been determined as feasible for the Northwest include sun-tempering and passive solar space heating, solar water and pool heating, daylighting and solar electricity generation using photovoltaic cells.

For example, Eugene Water & Electric Board has developed the SunRover, a portable solar electrical generating station which demonstrates that practical application. Constructed to demonstrate solar electric technology, the SunRover generates power from the sun. The blue photovoltaic (PV) panels mounted on top of the SunRover are combined with sophisticated electronic controls and storage batteries to harness the sunlight to produce clean electricity.

The SunRover can operate as an independent portable generator, delivering power to community events and educational demonstrations without noise, pollution or the need for fuel. The SunRover has no moving parts and little maintenance is required. The PV panels can produce up to 1080 watts of power in ideal conditions. In an average year in the Willamette Valley, the panels should produce about 1400 kilowatt hours of pollution-free, renewable power.

So in spite of the seemingly sunless, rainy winters, the Northwest has a fairly significant solar resource, and a number of solar technologies work well here. In short, solar power shows an encouraging future and outlook.

Geothermal

While the surface of the earth is cool enough to walk on, its inner core can reach up to 7,600 degrees Fahrenheit. These enormous energy reserves kept within the earth can be converted into

electricity. This transformation the takes place in geothermal power plants. Today, the United States produces almost 3,000 megawatts of geothermal energy a year, which is equivalent to the energy produced at three nuclear power plants, or by burning 60 million barrels of oil.

An ideal location for geothermal energy production has a hot rock heat source not far underground. The Northwest is located along the Pacific “ring of fire,” which has great potential for geothermal development.

With geothermal energy, when water percolates downward and nears the heat source, its temperature rises, causing it to circulate upward and form an underground geothermal reservoir.

Wells tap this energy by drawing hot liquids and steam to the surface. The liquids and steam are then piped to a power plant where they are harnessed in a turbine generator to produce electricity. Once energy has been extracted from the steam and hot liquids, they are cooled and sent back into the earth where they can once again be heated and rejoin the geothermal reservoir.

Fuel Cells

One of the most significant technology breakthroughs resulting from the space shuttle missions is the development of fuel cell systems, which use hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity with virtually no pollution. Now, fuel cells are moving into down-to-earth applications such as heating homes and powering cars, trucks and buses.

Fuel cells applications are quite versatile. They can produce electricity in remote locations or in the middle of a city. As by-products of the generation of electricity, fuel cells also produce heat and water. But unlike conventional fuel-powered generation, they produce far fewer emissions and have almost no moving parts. Fuel cells can produce electricity directly for a home or business, as well as charge batteries for later use when electricity is in high demand.

Modern fuel cells can be built with the ability to extract the hydrogen they need to run from a variety of fuels, including a variety of fossil fuels. The hydrogen extraction process produces far fewer pollutants from the fuel that would occur from conventional combustion. In fact, the fuel cell process that combines hydrogen with oxygen from the air emits only electricity and pure water vapor. Currently, fuel cells are still expensive, with a cost of around $50,000 each. However, as manufacturers begin to mass-produce fuel cells, the cost will likely drop.

Direct benefit will come from the use of cleaner and more environmentally-friendly generating sources, such as fuel cells that can use renewably-developed hydrogen, rather than currently electric production which relies heavily on coal, oil and other fossil fuel generation.

Conclusion

As consumers are expected to demand more electricity in the next decade, it is increasingly clear that our current system of generating electricity will continue to change. With research continuing, the possibilities seem endless with good ideas and plans of action. As technology advances, renewable generation sources will continue to be the resources of choice for Northwest residents, especially with the year 2015 quickly approaching.

References

(Interviews):

Maloney, Tom. Personal interview. 11 February 2003.

Maloney, Tom. Personal interview. 27 February 2003.

(Journals):

“EWEB Wind power Generates Subscribers.” Fresh Air Journal. Spring Issue, 2000. (1 & 4).

“Executive Summary: 1992 Energy Resource Management Plan.” Eugene Water & Electric Board, 1992. (1-5, 11-15).

“Foote Creek: The 1^st Year.” Fresh Air Journal. Spring Issue, 2000. (3).

(Newspapers)

Associated Press. “Northwest Wind Farm Becomes Largest Producer.” Jan. 23, 2003.

(Pamphlets):

“Home Energy Use Guide.” Eugene Water & Electric Board, 2001.

“Spun From Thin Air.” Eugene Water & Electric Board Wind Power, 1999.

“Newberry Geothermal Pilot Project.” Eugene Water & Electric Board, 1994.

(Press Releases):

Real de Azua, Christina. “U.S. Wind Industry Turns In Another Solid Year of Growth.” American Wind Energy Association. Jan. 23, 2003.