Passive House-the Proven Method to Meet the 7th Northwest Regional Power Plan

[Tad Everhart]

The Northwest Power & Conservation Council (https://www.nwcouncil.org ) is charged by 1980 federal law to provide policy and planning leadership for the regional electric power supply as well as protecting wildlife in the Columbia River basin affected by electric power generation.  The States of Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon collectively lead regional power planning through this federal agency. (https://www.nwcouncil.org/about/policies/bylaws/#1

Council staff has evaluated hundreds of energy futures in the process of developing its 7th 5-year Plan.  

How does our region best meet its electricity needs?  Efficiency.  

"In more than 90 percent of future conditions, cost-effective efficiency met all electricity load growth through 2035. It’s not only the single largest contributor to meeting the region’s future electricity needs, it’s also the single largest source of new winter peaking capacity.

Acquiring this energy efficiency is the primary action for the next six years. " (From page 1 of the Council's attached 5--page brochure)

The 7th Plan relies on energy-efficiency to meet the lion's share of all electricity load growth.  And perhaps even more important for the growth of Passive House, energy-efficiency is "the single largest source of new winter peaking capacity."   

Implemented widely in our region, Passive House would slash regional winter peak electrical loads.