Grounded: a Podcast by the Oregon Department of Energy

State of Oregon
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  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Grounded is a podcast by the Oregon Department of Energy. Here on Grounded, we're talking energy – from renewable energy and the history of nuclear power… to utilities, businesses, nonprofits, schools, and Oregon families going green and making a difference.

  1. Episode 54: Reflecting on fuel pipeline shutdowns (bonus)

    APR 8

    Episode 54: Reflecting on fuel pipeline shutdowns (bonus)

    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 Grounded music by PaulYudin Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay Resources: • Episode 52: Hoping for blue skies, planning for black skies: https://on.soundcloud.com/ia3ikp2SjkODtJOOzd • Oregon Fuels Association: www.wpma.com/oregon • Fueling Up in Oregon: Supply & Pricing: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/blog/2026/3/23/fueling-up-in-oregon-supply-amp-pricing • Olympic Pipeline partially restarts as Oregon remains under fuel emergency declaration: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/11/25/olympic-pipeline-oregon-fuel-emergency-gas-prices/

    19 min
  2. Episode 53: Fueling EVs in rural Oregon

    MAR 18

    Episode 53: Fueling EVs in rural Oregon

    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 perspective of EVs in rural Oregon. Guests: Jillian DiMedio, ODOE Senior Energy Policy Analyst; Steve Gutmann, co-founder of EVmath; and Robert Wallace, executive director Wy’East RC&D Grounded music by PaulYudin Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay Resources • Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report : https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/BIZEV.aspx • EVmath.org: https://www.evmath.org/ • Wy'East RC&D: https://www.wyeast-rcd.org/ • Oregon Electric Vehicle Dashboard: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Pages/Oregon-Electric-Vehicle-Dashboard.aspx • ODOT’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/climate/Pages/NEVI.aspx • DEQ’s Zero-Emission Fueling Infrastructure Grant: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/programs/Pages/OZEF.aspx

    36 min
  3. Getting Grounded: Volcanoes and electricity (geothermal)

    FEB 18

    Getting Grounded: Volcanoes and electricity (geothermal)

    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 wells in Oregon: https://gis.dogami.oregon.gov/maps/gtilo/ • Newberry Volcano Project: https://mazamaenergy.com/newberry/ • Neal Hot Springs: https://www.enbridge.com/about-us/renewable-energy/geothermal • Oregon Institute of Technology's Geo-Heat Center: https://www.oit.edu/library/about/collections/archives/all-collections/geo-heat

    9 min
  4. Getting Grounded: Organic matter as fuel (biomass)

    JAN 21

    Getting Grounded: Organic matter as fuel (biomass)

    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 • Bioenergy in Oregon: State of Oregon: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/pages/bioenergy.aspx • Resource Review: Biomass (2020 Biennial Energy Report): https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Documents/2020-BER-Technology-Resource-Reviews.pdf#page=31 • Oregon Department of Forestry: Oregon Department of Forestry: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/forestbenefits/pages/biomass.aspx

    10 min
  5. Episode 52: Hoping for blue skies, planning for black skies

    12/03/2025

    Episode 52: Hoping for blue skies, planning for black skies

    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 fuel emergency response and energy security planning, and energy resiliency at the county level in the Columbia Gorge. Guests: ODOE’s Energy Security Manager Traci Naile and Mid-Columbia Economic Development District’s Energy and Project Manager Lindsay McClure Resources • Fuel Action Plan: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/safety-resiliency/Pages/Petroleum.aspx • Energy Security Plan: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/safety-resiliency/Pages/Energy-Security-Plan.aspx • Western States Petroleum Association: https://www.wspa.org/ • Oregon Fuels Association: https://www.wpma.com/oregon • Getting Grounded: Petroleum's long history: https://on.soundcloud.com/wo4C7vw8D9QPzWkF4C • ODOE's County Energy Resilience Grant Program: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/safety-resiliency/Pages/County-Resilience.aspx • ODOE's Community Renewable Energy Grant Program: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Incentives/Pages/CREP.aspx • Mid-Columbia Economic Development District: https://mcedd.org/ • Hood River County Energy Council: https://hoodrivercountyenergyplan.org/energy-plan/ Grounded music by PaulYudin Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

    34 min
  6. Getting Grounded: New Heights of Wind

    11/19/2025

    Getting Grounded: New Heights of Wind

    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/energy/facilities-safety/facilities/Pages/default.aspx • Energy Facility Siting Council: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/facilities/Pages/About-the-Council.aspx • Oregon Electricity Resource Mix: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/pages/electricity-mix-in-oregon.aspx Questions or topic suggestions? Write us at askenergy@oregon.gov Grounded music by PaulYudin and Oregon artist Jana Cushman

    10 min
  7. Episode 51: Directors’ Stories of ODOE at 50

    10/22/2025

    Episode 51: Directors’ Stories of ODOE at 50

    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 highlight key moments from ODOE’s 50 years. Guests: Former ODOE directors Lon Topaz, David Yaden, John Savage, Michael Grainey, and Mike Kaplan, and current Director Janine Benner. Additional Resource: ODOE at 50 blog series: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/blog?tag=ODOE+at+50 ODOE at 50 interactive timeline: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/timeline About Hanford: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/safety-resiliency/Pages/About-Hanford.aspx Oregon Climate Action Commission: https://climate.oregon.gov/ Biennial Energy Report: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/ber ODOE financial and incentive programs: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Incentives/Pages/default.aspx Oregon Energy Strategy: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Pages/Energy-Strategy.aspx Episode with Energy Trust of Oregon’s founding executive director: https://on.soundcloud.com/FBSyrSL8rikUE5uJl8 Grounded music by PaulYudin Transition music by Juilius H., Osynthw, Syouki Takahashi, Deion Scott, and Levgen Poltavskyj from Pixabay.

    44 min
  8. Getting Grounded: PNW's unique hydropower

    09/17/2025

    Getting Grounded: PNW's unique hydropower

    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/hydropower/where-hydropower-is-generated.php • OPB’s Salmon Wars: https://www.opb.org/salmonwars/ • Nine federally recognized Tribes of Oregon: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Pages/Tribal-Reports.aspx • Northwest Power and Conservation Council and the Columbia River Basin: https://www.nwcouncil.org/news/2025/08/29/ninth-plan-hydro-ops-scope-columbia-river-basin/ • Bonneville Power Administration hydropower: https://www.bpa.gov/energy-and-services/power/hydropower-impact • Faraday Resiliency & Repowering Project: https://portlandgeneral.com/news/modernizing-our-hydropower-plants-pges-oldest-assets-in-the-fight • Electricity Resource Mix: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Electricity-Mix-in-Oregon.aspx Questions or topic suggestions? Write us at askenergy@oregon.gov Grounded music by PaulYudin and Oregon artist Jana Cushman

    9 min
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Grounded is a podcast by the Oregon Department of Energy. Here on Grounded, we're talking energy – from renewable energy and the history of nuclear power… to utilities, businesses, nonprofits, schools, and Oregon families going green and making a difference.

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