News and Updates

Aerial view of a large battery energy storage facility with rows of white and gray container-like buildings and utility structures

BESS Toolkit: A Local Leader's Guide

August 31, 2026

Battery energy storage systems, often referred to as BESS, are becoming a more common part of electric system planning. As electricity demand grows and the region plans for aging infrastructure, changing weather patterns, and the need to keep power reliable and affordable, local governments will be asked to evaluate more BESS projects.

Aurora Energy Research next to a graphic of transmission towers

Press Release - Aurora Energy Research On Pacific Northwest Storage Deployment

August 29, 2026

New Aurora report identifies the barriers constraining battery storage in the PNW — and the reforms needed to deploy it at scale.

Executive Leadership Transition & Next Steps

August 20, 2026

A Note from RNW Board Chair, David Bobzien

Rows of solar panels in the foreground and a wind turbine in the background at sunrise.

Procurement Advocacy: The Hidden Gears of the Clean Energy Transition

July 16, 2026

When you think about the transition to clean energy it's often easiest to picture the end results: wind turbines, solar panels, and battery storage systems. But before a project is built, a highly complex procurement process is overseen and decided by state public utility commissions (PUC).

A panoramic view of a wind farm on rolling green hills with snow-capped mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.

In the News: Here are the missing variables in WA’s clean energy equation - Seattle Times Op-ed

July 7, 2026

Mike Goetz, RNW's Director of Regulatory Affairs, published an op-ed in The Seattle Times explaining why Washington should not abandon the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) amid rising electri

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RNW welcomes the appointment of Travis Kavulla as Administrator and CEO of the Bonneville Power Administration.

June 29, 2026

RNW welcomes the appointment of Travis Kavulla as Administrator and CEO of the Bonneville Power Administration.

A vast field of wind turbines stretches across a flat, dry landscape under a clear blue sky in Oregon..

Competing Priorities for Oregon’s Land

May 19, 2026

This blog explains why the two policies of protecting agricultural land and developing clean, renewable energy resources often end in conflict.

The Idaho State Capitol building with a dome and columns, set against a dramatic sunset sky with pink and purple clouds.

RNW's 2026 Short Session Legislative Recap

April 30, 2026

RNW recently wrapped a productive three-month stretch across the 2026 short legislative sessions in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.

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Renewable Northwest's 2025 Annual Report

April 2, 2026

We're proud to share Renewable Northwest's 2025 Annual Report!

Washington’s New Clean Energy Tax Bill & Why It Matters

April 1, 2026

A major clean energy policy for Washington crossed the finish line this legislative session.