Greening the Grid:
Building a Legal Framework
for Carbon Neutrality

April 23-24, 2009
Council Chamber, Lewis & Clark College

Development of renewable energy sources has become one of the major political and legal issues of our time. Due to concerns related to climate change, energy independence, and escalating fuel and electricity prices, many policymakers, environmental advocates, and entrepreneurs have called for the United States to adopt a new national energy policy that promotes use of renewable energy sources. However, others argue that renewable energy sources will never adequately meet the country’s escalating energy needs. While these commentators believe renewable energy should play some role in powering the country, they believe a better solution involves improving existing technologies to provide more “clean coal,” natural gas, and nuclear energy. Nearly everyone believes that the U.S. must “green” its power system; but what that means, and how it should be done, remains a subject of considerable debate.

This symposium will explore the ongoing debate regarding the U.S. energy policies and consider how the country may revise its energy system to promote sustainable energy sources. The symposium will first take a look at the broader issues surrounding renewable energy development and explore how and whether electricity sector restructuring will accommodate new renewable energy sources. The symposium will then discuss the various energy sources that a greener grid might employ, including “clean coal,” wind, solar, hydropower, and nuclear energy. Through moderated discussions, the symposium will explore the benefits and risks of using each of the specific energy sources and consider whether renewable energy will play a meaningful role in the U.S. electricity sector.