Goals of the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance
The goals of the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance are to:
- Provide credible, validated options, analyses, and supporting information
- Educate stakeholders, decision-makers, and the public on energy issues and options
This can only be achieved with a careful, deliberate, data-driven process to insure that information associated with the Alliance is, above all things, credible and trustworthy. Before "raw" information from the Task Forces is released to the public, it is vetted through the Board of Directors and the Governor's Council to insure that their perspectives are represented and that all possible considerations and/or issues related to the options presented are brought forward for discussion, evaluation, analysis, and inclusion. Once the Task Force options have gone through this process, the Task Force information will be presented in its entirety along with all other comments, endorsements and/or disagreements, and any other applicable information from those experts chosen to provide a global perspective. This complete "packet" of information will be published on the OER website.
Alliance Updates
At present, the Alliance has achieved the following milestones:
- Setting up the ISEA
- Over 160 members are currently participating in the Alliance, all on a volunteer basis
- A Board of Directors consisting of top experts representing a range of constituencies is in place and at work
- Groups of specialists to evaluate: Hydropower, Geothermal, Carbon Issues, Forestry, Solar, Wind, Biogas, Transmission, Biofuels, Communications, Economic Development & Financial, and Energy Efficiency & Conservation. Teams consist of experts from around the state and across the nation.
- Open process, meetings and debate established and underway since mid 2008, resulting in stakeholder input into energy options analyses
- Task Force Report
- Reports will be added as completed
- Data
- Energy opportunity and option analyses underway. This on-going effort will result in a series of referenceable reports and data that can inform decision makers and expert groups available for reach-back
- Communications and Outreach
- Two public outreach documents have been created and are being distributed
- Presentations on the ISEA are being made across the state
- Board meetings are posted and public
- Board and Task Force members are actively engaging with the public and decision-makers
- Action
- Energy efficiency legislation is in process
- Task Forces and Alliance members are providing expert opinion / consulting on issues of energy efficiency, stimulus/energy funding, and economic development.
- Alliance members/teams are serving as expert advisors to the Governor and other decision makers, and all of this expertise is costing the state of Idaho virtually $0
- Development of partnerships / collaborations that will expand energy business and energy efficiency in Idaho are being facilitated