Green Energy Institute Wins NW Energy Coalition Award

Pictured: Carra Sahler (middle) with Nancy Hirsh, NWEC executive director and Shanna Brownstein, NWEC board chair.

The Green Energy Institute (GEI) has been awarded the NW Energy Coalition (NWEC)’s prestigious Bob Olsen Memorial Conservation Eagle Award for 2023.

The Eagle Award recognizes individuals and organizations for leadership in building a clean, affordable, and equitable future. It honors Bob Olsen, who was a NWEC visionary and leader who led a vibrant career in advancing energy efficiency. GEI is the 35th annual recipient of the award.

GEI is Lewis & Clark’s premier climate and energy policy institute. Directed by Carra Sahler, alongside staff attorneys Caroline Cilek and Alex Houston, GEI has utilized comprehensive legal strategies to advance clean energy and address the climate crisis since 2013. Their mission is to develop equitable, comprehensive, and effective strategies to prevent climate change through smoothly transitioning to a sustainable and carbon-free energy grid. NWEC awarded GEI the Eagle Award for their distinguished work in this realm, and especially for advancing these initiatives before the Oregon Public Utility Commission.

Carra Sahler reflected that receiving this award was a wonderful way to cap off GEI’s tenth anniversary year. “Knowing all the hard work, creativity, and urgency required of us every day to effectively and equitably address the climate crisis, it’s really important to stop every now and then and celebrate each other. GEI doesn’t expect the accolades, but it sure is nice to hear our work is valued.”

To learn more about GEI and its work, please visit our website here.