Share it As multiple states and municipalities drive toward 100% renewable energy, the Pacific Northwest may be in the most unique position to answer the questions that generally arise despite geographic, economic and climate differences with the rest of the country. Such questions include: What is the right mix of wind, solar, storage, nuclear and hydropower to provide carbon-free energy at an affordable and reliable level? How much should natural gas be relied on as a "bridge fuel," if at all? The Columbia River provides the Pacific Northwest with the largest source of hydropower found anywhere on the continent. The river’s 31 hydroelectric dams can produce 22 GW of power, and this natural bounty of carbon-free energy takes care of a big chunk of the path to 100% renewable energy. Hydroelectricity meets 30% of the Northwest’s electricity needs, according to the Bonneville Power Administration, the federal agency that markets the river’s hydroelectricity.