(Photo: Adam Capage and Diane Brandt from Renewable NW, at the AOC Annual Conference in 2025)
Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: Renewable Northwest
Renewable Northwest (RNW) is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the development of clean, renewable resources in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. As a partner of the Association of Oregon Counties, our paths frequently cross in advocacy, utility policy, and infrastructure development across the Pacific Northwest. A key component of our advocacy work at the county-level is to promote streamlined and predictable siting and permitting processes for renewable energy generation and energy storage.
In early 2024, RNW launched the “County Advisory Group” with the goal of engaging with county governments and learning firsthand what issues are regularly faced as renewable energy and storage projects are considered. The group is exclusive to County Commissioners and County Planners — some with experience drafting local ordinances, and others who seek to learn from the experiences of peers. Over the past two years, the group has grown to twenty-five participants from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
We’ve met over a dozen times with varying agendas — several meetings have been self-led by internal group participants describing experiences in their own counties and then fielding questions from peers. Other meetings have included external guest speakers on topics ranging from best practices for setting decommissioning requirements, to a briefing on battery storage (BESS), which was our most recent meeting. There have also been beginner-level learning sessions about broader energy topics like the transmission system, the utility regulatory process, and the Community Renewable Energy Association (CREA). Meetings are usually one hour, always held virtually, and are scheduled roughly every 6 weeks.
Going forward, the goals for this group remain modest; we seek to continue listening, learning, and building local connections across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. RNW has gained valuable perspectives from hearing best practices about developing renewable energy ordinances, and we now bring this perspective to counties who are new to considering their own ordinances. We have heard from group members that they appreciate learning about the broader energy system and sharing with peers.
“I’ve participated in this group from the beginning and I’m glad, because it helps me in Sherman to hear what other counties are doing.” – Judge Joe Dabulskis, Sherman County
If you would like to learn more about the County Advisory Group reach out to Adam Capage at RNW: adam@renewablenw.org. Participation is limited to Commissioners and County Planners, and we’re always looking for more participants who want to discuss how the siting process can be improved for local governments and citizens. If you’d like to learn more about RNW’s work, visit our website: renewablenw.org.