WA lags behind other states in green energy growth
Over the last 10 years Washington has passed a bevy of climate laws aimed at reducing the state’s carbon emissions.
That includes a carbon auction, a ban on coal in the state’s energy mix, and a requirement that the state reach net zero emissions by 2045.
But during that same period, energy production from renewable sources has actually declined slightly.
Oregon has set its sights on net zero emissions by 2050. It, too, has seen sluggish growth in renewable energy.
Both states rely on the Bonneville Power Administration to move energy across the state.
A new investigation from Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network, found that the Bonneville Power Administration's aging grid may be stymieing decarbonization efforts in the Northwest.
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Guests:
Monica Samayoa, climate reporter at OPB
Tony Shick, investigative editor and reporter at OPB
Links:
How the Pacific Northwest’s dream of green energy fell apart
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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington, and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Hans Anderson
Producer, Soundside
Hans Anderson is a producer on KUOW’s Soundside, where he covers a diverse range of topics from conflicts over how to use busy streets to how the open spaces of the Palouse inspire modern musical compositions. He primarily produces segments about politics, arts and transportation.
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