Effective December 14th, 2007, Governor Butch Otter signed an executive order replacing a previous order establishing a 25x’25 Council. This mandate was assigned to the Office of Energy Resources. The original 25x’25 effort was focused primarily upon using agricultural and forestry resources to meet 25% of the state’s energy needs by 2025. The Office of Energy Resources (OER) expanded this initial concept to include sustainable resources, energy efficiency and conservation, and energy development in accordance with the Idaho Energy Plan. In response to this broader agenda, the Governor changed the name of this effort to the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance. The structure of the Alliance allows a wide variety of stakeholders to have representation and play a role in developing energy plans and strategies for Idaho’s energy future. The Alliance is Idaho’s primary mechanism to engage in seeking options for and enabling advanced energy production, energy efficiency, and energy business in the State of Idaho.

One of the reasons for a new Executive Order is likely because Governor Otter formed the new Office of Energy Resources in October of 2007, making administrator Paul Kjellander the new chair of the initiative. The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) and the Energy Policy Institute (EPI) see the formation of a State energy agency as a positive development. In fact, in the 2007 Idaho Energy Policy Survey done by EPI, 59% of Idahoans believe that it is important that there be a state agency to enforce the Idaho Energy Plan, and to provide advice to the Governor and Legislature regarding energy issues.

EPI, along with other members of CAES, is participating in the Governor’s Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance. The goal of the Alliance is to enable the development of a sound energy portfolio for Idaho that includes diverse energy resources and production methods, that provides the highest value to the citizens of Idaho, that ensures quality stewardship of environmental resources, and that functions as an effective, secure, and stable energy system. The Idaho Office of Energy Resources, with Paul Kjellander as the lead administrator of the agency, is directing this very important initiative for the state.

Both CAES and EPI have been engaged with the new state energy office. Recently, Mike Louis, Assistant Director of EPI and Affiliate Member of CAES, was named to the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance Board of Directors. Both CAES and EPI can be a valuable resource to efforts like the Alliance, providing research and education that can help enable Idaho in meeting its future energy needs.