While solar and wind resources are abundant in the western United States, the region faces technical, operational and management challenges in transitioning to cleaner energy portfolios. Integrating renewable energy into existing electric grids continues to be a difficult hurdle for many electricity markets. When utilities face intermittent renewable energy generation, energy imbalance markets (EIMs) have been developed to mitigate the gaps between production and demand.

Wyoming is dipping a toe into the solar market this year for the first time. In the energy efficiency arena, it has not yet explored its potential. However, analysts predict it will become a leading wind-power state in a few years. Scott Quillinan, director of operations and communications at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, said in this interview that the state is experiencing differential growth in its clean energy markets.

There is a strong groundswell of support for solar power and energy efficiency in Oregon. This has boosted the state’s programs and amplified their accomplishments, according to Janine Benner, director of Oregon Department of Energy. In this interview, she said Oregon is using these technologies to offset the environmental impact of its growing IT industry.

Clean energy is competing with natural gas in Pennsylvania. As the state attempts to optimize its renewable energy incentives, the market is chugging forward with some difficulty, according to Rob Altenburg, director of PennFuture Energy Center. In this interview, he explains some of the roadblocks that exist.

Legislative reluctance to support clean energy has held back entrepreneurial opportunities for companies in Ohio, according to Greg Smith, president of Energy Optimizers USA. In this interview, he said energy efficiency has massive potential in the state but fossil fuels have a solid base of support.

Integrating socioeconomically inclusive behavior is a strong point of South Carolina’s clean energy programs. Three staffers at South Carolina Energy Office, Energy Policy Analyst Darcy Jones (the primary source), Deputy Director of Energy Maeve Mason, and Energy Specialist Stacey Washington, completed a joint written interview where they shared insights about how to protect low-to-moderate-income consumers.

Given the regulatory and policy challenges North Carolina faces, it takes patience for the solar power and energy efficiency industries to move forward there. According to staff at North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, Duke Energy is taking the lead with developing some opportunities, but other utilities are lagging behind it. The respondents to this written interview were Executive Director Ivan Urlaub (the primary source), General Counsel Peter Ledford, Regulatory and Policy Analyst Daniel Brookshire, and Engagement and Equity Specialist Jordan Jones.

New Mexico needs to modernize its rates, regulations and incentives so it can make substantial progress in improving its solar-energy and energy efficiency markets, said Ken Hughes, clean energy specialist at the State of New Mexico’s Energy Conservation and Management Division. In this interview, he provided examples of success stories on the ground.

As Missouri’s clean energy policies go back and forth like a ball in a game, advocates are doing their best to negotiate, said James Owen, executive director of Renew Missouri, in this interview. Net metering and other policies are being actively debated by state decision makers. The outcome is still up in the air.