Since last month’s update, the CETI team has been out and about in three of the four Northwest states for a variety of clean energy activities. Ruby Moore-Bloom and I journeyed to Salem, OR for the kick-off of the Oregon Energy Strategy with the Oregon Department of Energy.
Ruby and Jamie Ptacek both attended the Northwest Energy Coalition conference in Boise and Ruby headed to Spokane for Efficiency Exchange. Jamie traveled to Eastern Washington and up to Mount Vernon to help facilitate public meetings about clean energy in rural Washington.
We’ve also been busy bringing our new Research Analyst, Jeanne Currie, up to speed on all things grid, especially transmission and regional market planning, as well as building decarbonization.
Speaking of the grid, May brought a new Northwest energy demand forecast as described in our featured report below and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)’s updated transmission planning rules, along with continued state and federal grant allocations, all of which have the potential to change the landscape of what an equitable clean energy transition could look like in our region.
Our search for talent to join CETI continues. In June, we will welcome a new Research Fellow, and below you will see we are looking for a summer communications intern and help with our day-to-day operations. As usual, never a dull moment at CETI.
Eileen V. Quigley
Executive Director
This month we share a report that has significant implications for all of us striving to accelerate an equitable clean energy transition in the Northwest.
On May 1, the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee (PNUCC) released its Northwest Regional Forecast, which finds that electricity demand in the region could increase by 30% over the next decade – a pace that far exceeds any growth that the region has experienced over the last 40 years. The report highlights the importance of energy efficiency, resource mix, transmission expansion, and resource adequacy and resilience to meet this projected load growth.
This forecast aligns with findings from our Net-Zero Northwest Energy Pathways study, which projects a 27% increase in electricity demand from 2021-2030.
To learn more, check out PNUCC’s press release or read the full report.
In June, Haynes Stephens will join CETI as a summer Research Fellow. He recently completed his Ph.D. in Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago.
Following his grad school experience, Haynes is focused on addressing the causes of climate change and supporting the transition to net-zero energy systems by conducting research, engaging decision-makers, and advocating for an equitable clean energy transition. We are thrilled to have him on the team from June-August.
We are also hiring apart-time Communications Intern for the summer! Check out the job description and please share with anyone who might be interested in applying: Summer Communications Intern (Part-Time)
In addition to the Communications Intern, we are looking for a part-time Operations Consultant to support CETI's business operations and will be releasing a Request for Proposals next week - if you know of anyone who might be interested, please let us know.
In other exciting news, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced funding for over 700 clean energy projects to support U.S. farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers through the Rural Energy for All Program (REAP). The four Northwest states each got a piece of the pie:
One of our Claiming Power videos, Harvesting the Sun, features Jefferson and Clallam County businesses that have already benefited from the USDA’s REAP grants in Washington.
This month, Eileen explains why decarbonizing buildings is so important to hit Washington’s emissions reduction goals and how SCALE 2030 aims to produce an analytical roadmap to drive the systemic changes needed for the state’s building sector ecosystem to deliver a rapid ramp-up of electrification by 2030. Read the full story here.
Our work continues with the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) to conduct the technical analysis for the Oregon Energy Strategy. We hope you can attend ODOE’s webinar on Monday, June 3 from 1:00-2:30pm PDT to get an update on the project and learn about ways to get involved. Register here.
If you live in rural Washington, we invite you to join us for a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, June 5 from 6:30-8:30pm PDT to share your views about clean energy development in your community.
This meeting will inform the Rural Clean Energy Economics and Community Engagement Study and Report that we are working on with Ross Strategic and Industrial Economics, Inc. under the direction of the WA Department of Commerce. Register here.
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