Legislative Energy Chairs and representatives from Public Utilities Commissions from throughout the region joined for a full day session at the Skamania Lodge to discuss how state and provincial regulatory agencies are coordinating regionally to address the challenges of the regional grid system, including the cost of integration of renewables, balancing, firming and capacity of renewables (cost allocation).

Legislative Energy Chairs from many of the states and provinces were present, and the dialogue included a discussion of how do we maximize the economic potential of renewable resources in the region, and how do we assist our regulatory agencies to provide better renewable capacity integration across the region.

There was a sense that there could be better communication with legislative bodies about the planning that is going on to increase regional capacity, and that engaging principal energy legislators in a single venue would be advantageous.  In the technology area, an identified need was greater coordination between R&D and implementation of new technologies, such as smart grid technologies.  Better integration of variable resources and smart grid back up,storage technologies was also cited as needed.

A goal identified for the 2011 Annual Summit in Portland, Oregon was bringing in California Energy Coordinators to discuss their future energy needs, and how these will impact the PNWER region.

The transportation session addressed two different topics throughout their day and a half session. 

Petra Todorovich of the Regional Plan Association gives participants insight into the national perspective on high speed rail.

Participants discussed how to mix public and private funding for rail infrastructure improvements.  In the afternoon, a panel addressed greening our highways, looking at a case study of the I-5 corridor. It was especially useful for participants to talk over common issues with the House Transportation Chairs from both Oregon and Washington.

Session participants identified a need to further examine opportunities for governance in the Cascade Corridor. At the suggestion of participants,  PNWER will draft a letter to the Governor of Washington encouraging the state to go after the returned federal high-speed rail dollars before the end of the year, in addition to a letter to Secretary Ray LaHood  to ask that the already allocated funds be released to the States before the end of the year, so that these projects, and the jobs they create, can go forward in an expedited manner.

For the 2011 Summit, PNWER will continue the discussion on public/private partnerships for bolstering the future of transportation in the region.

The final day of the Economic

Leadership Forum was devoted to innovation. Sen. Jim Kastama opened the day by discussing the challenges and necessity for an effective regional innovation strategy, and that in this economy, we must invest in a future of innovation.

 

The panel featured Egils Milburg, Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Commission,  Dr. Steven VanAusdle, President of Walla Walla College, David Kenney, President of Oregon BEST, and William Mounts, President of P/E Limited.

In the session, participants discussed identifying best practices for enhanced regional collaboration. Session contributors encouraged PNWER to look at specific regional clusters for regional collaboration, and to begin by mapping a 'Clean Energy Technology' cluster and our innovation assets between all the member states and provinces in the region.

The conversation will continue at the 2011 Annual Summit in Portland, Oregon.