Grounded: a Podcast by the Oregon Department of Energy

Latest Episodes:

Getting Grounded: Heat Pumps! Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. Just what are heat pumps and what is a mini split? Get introduced to heat pumps -- an efficient way to heat and cool your home. Guest: Stephanie Kruse, ODOE facilities engineer Resources: • Hub for Information and Incentive Programs in Oregon: https://incentives.oregon.gov/ • Home energy tips and heat pump resources: https://incentives.oregon.gov/homeowner • Video: How heat pumps work (Energy Trust of Oregon): https://www.energytrust.org/residential/tips/understanding-heat-pumps-how-they-work-and-why-theyre-transforming-home-comfort-in-oregon/

Episode 57: EV electricity needs Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

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 music by PaulYudin Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay Resources: • EV Dashboard: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Pages/Oregon-Electric-Vehicle-Dashboard.aspx • Go Electric Oregon Incentive Finder: https://goelectric.oregon.gov/incentives-rebates • ODOE’s Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/BIZEV.aspx • Energy Strategy Electrification Pathway: https://energystrategy.oregon.gov/electrification • Coos-Curry Electric Off Peak Charging Program: https://ccec.coop/ev-charging-program • PGE Electric School Bus Fund: https://portlandgeneral.com/energy-choices/electric-vehicles-charging/funding-your-ev-or-charging-project/pge-electric-school-bus-fund • PGE Ride and Drive Events: https://portlandgeneral.com/lets-go • DEQ Clean Fuels Program: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ghgp/cfp/Pages/default.aspx

Episode 56: Pillars for ODOE’s future Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

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_community from Pixabay Resources: ODOE’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/about-us/Pages/Strategic-Plan.aspx About ODOE: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/about-us/Pages/default.aspx Oregon Energy Strategy: https://energystrategy.oregon.gov/

Episode 55: Putting soil & plants to work May 04, 2026

Show notes

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 by freesound_community from Pixabay Resources Land-based Net Carbon Inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Documents/2025-Land-Based-Net-Carbon-Inventory-Report.pdf Study on workforce development and training needs for natural climate solutions: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Documents/2025-NCS-Workforce-Needs-Report.pdf What are Natural Climate Solutions? What are Natural Climate Solutions? DEQ's sector-based emissions inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ghgp/Pages/GHG-Inventory.aspx DEQ's consumption-based emissions inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/mm/Pages/Consumption-based-GHG.aspx Natural and working lands fund report: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Reports/2025-Natural-Working-Lands-Annual-Fund-Report.pdf Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission: https://www.oregon.gov/highered/Pages/default.aspx Natural and Working Lands Advisory Committee: https://climate.oregon.gov/committee-meetings

Episode 54: Reflecting on fuel pipeline shutdowns (bonus) Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

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/

Episode 53: Fueling EVs in rural Oregon Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

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

Getting Grounded: Volcanoes and electricity (geothermal) Feb 18, 2026

Show notes

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

Getting Grounded: Organic matter as fuel (biomass) Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

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

Episode 52: Hoping for blue skies, planning for black skies Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

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

Getting Grounded: New Heights of Wind Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

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

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