| Renewable Energy Working Group |
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| Purpose |
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At the request of the Governor a number of state agencies were asked to develop a Renewable Energy Action Plan with input from stakeholders. These agencies - Agriculture, PUC, Economic Development, Energy, Environmental Quality, Forestry and Water Resources - prepared several drafts, which were sent to interested individuals, businesses and organizations and posted on the Oregon Department of Energy Web site. Public comment and stakeholder input was taken and a series of public meetings were held before finalizing the document. The final Renewable Energy Action Plan was released in April of 2005.
The Renewable Energy Action Plan (REAP) contains numerous renewable energy policy goals for the state and also a mandate to "support a Renewable Energy Working Group to be coordinated through the Governor's Office and the Oregon Department of Energy to guide the implementation of this Plan." A long list of actions for state agencies is included in the Plan, as well as numerous tasks for the Renewable Energy Working Group.
The Renewable Energy Working Group has been formed through a collaborative process involving the Oregon Department of Energy and the Governor's Office.
The primary mission of the Renewable Energy Working Group (REWG) is to guide implementation of the Renewable Energy Action Plan. To accomplish this goal the Renewable Energy Working Group will play an advocacy and an advisory role. Group members will work to find and implement solutions - in the legislative arena, in the private sector, and elsewhere - that encourage the growth of renewable energy and accompanying economic development in Oregon.
The Renewable Energy Working Group will be briefed on renewable energy development in Oregon and submit regular status reports on the implementation of the REAP to the Governor's Office for public dissemination. The REWG will also be considering a list of more than fifty action items identified for its consideration in the REAP. Many of the tasks assigned to the Renewable Energy Working Group can be delegated to technology-specific working groups already in place (such as the wind, biomass and geothermal working groups). However, at least four key areas will need to be addressed by the Renewable Energy Working Group directly:
- Prioritization of the numerous tasks in the REAP, and monitoring of those tasks.
- Discussion of and action taken on crosscutting issues affecting multiple technologies with a focus on issues like transmission constraints, interconnection, and Bonneville Power Administration policies.
- Renewable energy production policy and the potential role of production incentives, a renewable portfolio standard, and/or the public purpose charge to achieve REAP goals.
- Identification, coordination, and packaging of legislative concepts as appropriate.
The Renewable Energy Action Plan is available in PDF format on the Oregon Department of Energy Web site at http://oregon.gov/ENERGY/RENEW/docs/FinalREAP.pdf. Requests for hard copy versions of the report can be directed to the Oregon Department of Energy. |
Renewable Energy Production Policy Resources
Renewable Energy Working Group Members
Media Relations & Public Involvement
Renewable Energy Working Group Charter
Renewable Energy Action Plan Tasks
(Working Draft - All PDF)
Renewable Energy Action Plan: Update on Goals (Working Draft - PDF)
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