Grounded: a Podcast by the Oregon Department of Energy

Portland General Electric and Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative discuss how they are planning for an increasing number of electric vehicles plugging into their networks and incentives available for customers. Guests: Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative Marketing and Member Services Manager Keith Buchhalter and Portland General Electric Transportation Electrification Manager Karla Hendrickson. Grounded m...

ODOE’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan is out now, and our guests walk us through the plan, sharing their hopes of how it will strengthen the agency’s efficiency and effectiveness as we work as a cohesive unit to address our greatest energy challenges. Guests: ODOE Director Janine Benner and Associate Director for Strategic Engagement Ruchi Sadhir Grounded music by PaulYudin Sound Effect by freesound_com...

All around us, natural and working lands – from forests, to crops, to wetlands, and parks – are putting in work to benefit Oregonians. Dig into natural and working lands and natural climate solutions on this episode of grounded. Guests: ODOE’s Elizabeth Ruther, Senior Natural & Working Lands Policy Analyst, and Jason Sauer, Natural & Working Lands Analyst Grounded music by PaulYudin Sound Effect b...

The Olympic Pipeline brings 90 percent of our transportation fuels from Washington into Oregon. In November 2025, the pipeline was shut down to repair a leak, causing a fuel emergency declaration. In this episode, we’re reflecting on Oregon's response to the incident. Guests: ODOE’s Energy Security Manager Traci Naile, and Mike Freese, of Romain and Freese representing the Oregon Fuels Association...

Fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are powered by electricity, so they need to “fuel up” at charging stations. While as much as 80 percent of charging happens at home, public chargers allow those without access to home charging and those traveling farther distances to recharge their batteries. On this episode, we discuss EV charger availability and reliability and get a first-person perspe...

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: Geothermal Guest: Rob Del Mar, ODOE senior policy analyst Resources: • Geothermal Energy in Oregon: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Geothermal.aspx • Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries’ interactive map of geothermal springs and...

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: Biomass. Guest: Michael Freels, ODOE senior policy analyst Resources: • Oregon State University’s Oregon Wood Innovation Center: https://owic.oregonstate.edu/ • Origin of Charcoal Briquettes: Collection: https://scua.uoregon.edu/repositories/2/resources/9251 • B...

In counties around the state and at ODOE, we’re planning for events we hope don’t happen: emergencies disrupting energy and fuel supplies. Climate change, extreme weather, and cyber risks and straining our energy systems and furthering the need for energy resiliency. In this episode, we dive into energy resiliency (one of the Oregon Energy Strategy’s five pathways) as it relates to ODOE’s role in...

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our new mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: Wind. Guest: Todd Cornett, ODOE assistant director for siting Resources: • Explore wind facilities in Oregon with the Oregon Renewable Energy Siting Assessment Tool: https://oregon-explorer.apps.geocortex.com/ • Siting information hub: https://www.oregon.gov...

2025 marks 50 years of Oregon Department of Energy public service. As we continue leading Oregon to a safe, equitable, clean, and sustainable future for the next 50 years (and beyond!), we’re taking time to look back and reflect on what got us here. In this episode of grounded, we’re joined by five former directors and current Director Benner, who each share memories of their time at ODOE as we hi...

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our new mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: Hydropower. Guest: Joni Sliger, ODOE senior policy analyst Resources: • ODOE’s website on hydropower: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Hydropower.aspx • Where hydroelectricity is generated in the U.S.: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hyd...

Could Nuclear Power be a solution to increasing electricity needs in the state and the nation? In this episode, we learn about the nuclear topics considered during the 2025 legislative session and Oregon’s nuclear future. We also hear from a company developing small modular reactors about their technology and potential roles for nuclear power. Guests: Max Woods, ODOE Assistant Director for Nuclear...

ODOE released a draft of the Oregon Energy Strategy on Aug. 14, 2025, and opened a public comment period through Sept. 22, 2025. So, what is the Energy Strategy and why should you take the time to comment? We dive into an overview of the report and the five pathways outlined that represent the direction Oregon needs to go to meet the state's energy goals. As you will hear from our guests, the Ener...

Oregon's is now the fourth state to focus on energy efficiency in existing buildings with ODOE's new Building Performance Standard Program. Starting in 2028, the program implements energy efficiency compliance deadlines for Oregon's existing commercial buildings. In this episode, learn about the program and its benefits, and how Oregon is addressing energy efficiency in state-owned buildings. Gues...

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our new mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: Nuclear energy. Guest: Joni Sliger, ODOE senior policy analyst Resources: • Trojan Nuclear Site: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/facilities/Pages/TRO.aspx • Trojan Nuclear Site Spent Fuel Storage: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/safety-resilien...

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our new mini-episodes series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: petroleum fuels. Guest: Michael Freels, ODOE senior policy analyst Resources: • Oregon Energy Security Plan: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/safety-resiliency/Pages/Energy-Security-Plan.aspx • Oregon Fuel Action Plan: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/safety-resi...

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our new mini-episodes series. We're moving through Oregon's energy sources one at a time to learn more about how they serve Oregon and all of us. Up first: solar. Guest: Rob Del Mar, ODOE senior policy analyst Additional resources • ODOE's Solar for All program: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Incentives/Pages/Solar-for-All.aspx • Energy Hub for Oregon incent...

Energy efficiency is found in government policies, it’s also found in our homes, technology and actions. Learn more about energy efficiency, some of the benefits, and things you can do to improve efficiency and decrease energy bills. In March, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranked Oregon at No. 9 in its nationwide State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, which measures policy and p...

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our new mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. The electricity used in Oregon homes and businesses comes from many energy resources. Solar, hydro, natural gas, wind, nuclear, coal, and other resources make up the “mix” and all play a role in providing Oregon electricity. View the Resource mix dashboard: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/pages/elec...

Earlier this month, ODOE was excited to release the 2024 Biennial Energy Report that tells Oregon’s energy story. The report shows how the state’s energy system has evolved over time to include new technologies, address changes in the availability of different generation resources, and to meet state energy goals. Learn more: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/blog/2024/11/22/a-new-chapter-in-oregons-en...

Class is back in session, and nearly 550,000 students in Oregon make the trip to and from school every school day. On this episode of Grounded, we tag along and venture into the magic world of clean-running and electric school buses. Learn more: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/blog/2024/10/10/grounded-podcast-episode-45-magic-school-buses Theme music by Oregon artist, Jana Cushman

Grounded host Bryan Hockaday meets OSU Assistant Professor Chad Higgins and takes listeners on a tour of a solar research farm outside of Wilsonville. On the farm, they’re fine tuning the practice of agrivoltaics and experimenting with what crops respond best to integrated solar electricity production. Learn more: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/blog/2024/9/4/grounded-podcast-episode-44-harvesting-s...

On Episode 43 of Grounded, host Bryan Hockaday catches up with Sarah Moehrke, ODOE’s Community Navigator. In her role, Sarah is often on the road and meeting with Oregonians all across the state. In just over this past year, Sarah has logged nearly 15,000 miles as she connects cities and counties with resources to help with community-scale sustainable improvement projects. Learn more: 2024/7/31/gr...

On Episode 43 of Grounded, host Bryan Hockaday catches up with Sarah Moehrke, ODOE’s Community Navigator. In her role, Sarah is often on the road and meeting with Oregonians all across the state. Enjoy a bonus episode, where Sarah takes listeners on a vividly narrated tour, starting on the stunning shores of the Oregon coast, going through the mid-Willamette Valley, and heading across to the spect...

Summers in the Pacific Northwest are spectacular, but it’s starting to feel like Oregon’s summers keep getting hotter. On this episode of Grounded, host Bryan Hockaday learns about ODOE’s Heat Pump Incentive Programs and talks with Oregon’s Climatologist Larry O’Neill. Grounded theme music by Oregon artist, Jana Cushman.