Washington Legislator Wants State to Include Existing Hydro Resources in Renewable Count

Michael Harris, Online Editor, HydroWorld.com
January 03, 2013 | 6 Comments

An amendment to Washington's state constitution might gain official recognition for hydropower as a renewable energy source, HydroWorld.com has learned.

House Joint Resolution 4200 -- filed by state Rep. Larry Haler in anticipation of Washington's upcoming legislative session -- would modify an earlier policy called Initiative 937.

Initiative 937, approved by voters in 2006 with a 52% majority, requires utilities with at least 25,000 customers to purchase at least 3% of its power from eligible renewable sources. That percentage increases to 9% in 2016 and 15% in 2020.

As per the initiative, incremental electricity from efficiency improvements at regional utility-owned hydro projects, and projects located in irrigation pipes and canals are included as "renewables".

However, additional generation is ineligible if the project results in new water diversions or impoundments. Existing hydropower projects were also excluded.

Proponents of Haler's new resolution say it will allow utilities to lower energy rates because it will enable them to include existing hydroelectric resources in the state's renewable energy portfolio. Currently, utilities are being forced to invest in other renewables like wind and solar to meet the initiative's percentage, while electricity produced by existing hydro plants is being sold to other states.

To be adopted as an amendment, House Joint Resolution 4200 must first gain approval from both the state's House and Senate before being signed by Washington's governor. The question would then go to voters in November with a simple majority needed for passage.

For more regulation and policy news, visit here.

6 Comments

Dennis Houghton
January 7, 2013

It should be noted that almost all the hydropower in the the Pacific Northwest comes from federally built, owned and operated facilities. Originally they were built for flood control but irrigation and river transportation soon followed. They were not built by the cleverness and foresight of local residents, in fact it was despite the objections of many. At one time there were also many tens of thousands of acres of prime riverbottom farm land now covered with a recreational boaters paradise and fifty years of industrial waste contaminated silt.

ANONYMOUS
January 6, 2013

"....I love the fact that Idaho, the state where our anti-renewable energy right-wingers are self-concentrating themselves, is our greenest state....."

Bob_Wallace-

I love the fact that you fully fail to appreciate how nonsensical your comment is. If Idaho's population was composed of "anti-renewable energy right-wingers", wouldn't they have replaced all of that despised, clean, renewable hydropower capacity with dirty coal-burning powerplants by now? On the other hand, maybe the truth is that these "right-wingers" in Idaho aren't actually "anti-renewable energy". And instead they are more correctly "pro-economically sensible energy", irrespective of what that type of energy source may be.

Lastly, besides simply considering the source of a state's energy production, we should also consider how that energy is utilized. In the case of Washington state, much of that hydropower has historically been used to produce aluminum raw material. Converting that hydropower energy into an aluminum product is a more efficient use over the total energy cycle than using it to heat/cool a building or power a TV.

Bob Wallace
January 5, 2013

While checking the Idaho numbers I found a list of the ten states in which an EV is the greenest. Idaho is #1. Washington, the state of discussion is #2.

"Hydro power is king in Washington, accounting for 75.4 percent of the state's electricity production. Add in "other renewables" and nearly 80 percent of electricity in Washington is produced with essentially no air pollution whatsoever! Just six percent of Washington's electricity comes from Dirty Coal.

Top 10 Clean Energy States to Plug in an EV
1. Idaho
2. Washington
3. Oregon
4. Maine
5. California
6. South Dakota
7. Montana
8. Minnesota
9. New Hampshire
10. New York"

http://solarchargeddriving.com/evs-a-phevs/best-a-worst-ev-states/389-top-ten-clean-energy-states-to-plug-in-an-electric-car.html

Bob Wallace
January 5, 2013

I love the fact that Idaho, the state where our anti-renewable energy right-wingers are self-concentrating themselves, is our greenest state.

84% of Idaho's electricity comes from hydro. Put in their non-hydro renewables and Idaho's electricity is 90% green.

ANONYMOUS
January 5, 2013

I don't know anything about the state of Washington's constitution, but it seems unusual that a constitutional amendment can be passed with a simple majority vote in the legislature.

Of course, it seems reasonable that a state like Washington with lots of hydropower capacity should classify all of that hydropower as "renewable".

Bob Wallace
January 4, 2013

Yes, Rep. Larry Haler is a Republican. And on his web page he states that he's for lower taxes and building a new nuclear reactor.

Now, should Washington State count its hydro as part of its renewable energy portfolio? I can't see why not.

So what they should do is to add in their hydro and increase their 2016 and 2020 goals by at least the same amount. Keep it 9% non-hydro renewables by 2016 and 15% non-hydro renewables by 2020. And pat themselves on the back by acknowledging all their clean, safe power.