The Clean Energy Transition Institute’s release of the Net-Zero Northwest Energy Pathways and Health Impact analyses (Net-Zero Northwest) on June 21 has been a resounding success to date. Net-Zero Northwest is the nation’s first economy-wide pathways analysis to model how a U.S. region might attain net-zero emissions by 2050.
As the most ambitious energy pathways analysis that our modeling partner Evolved Energy Research has ever conducted, the study answers key questions stakeholders are asking about how to decarbonize our region with 22 scenarios. Read on to learn about the media coverage the release received, as well as about the successful briefing we held last week.
Net-Zero Northwest caught the attention of business publications in Washington and Oregon, the Northwest’s key energy trade publication, and the Portland, OR NBC affiliate (KGW8), which ran a three-minute television story in three different markets in the state.
Kale Williams of KGW8 reported on the benefits and challenges that our region faces as we attempt to transition off fossil fuels and why the Northwest is in a unique position to lead on decarbonization. Clearing Up’s Dan Catchpole discussed how the Net-Zero Northwest analysis goes well beyond CETI’s 2019 regional decarbonization study. In speaking with Dan, I noted the critical role that electrification must play in decarbonization, and talked about how the Inflation Reduction Act could change the economics of various clean energy technologies.
Pete Danko of the Portland Business Journal interviewed me about the key findings from the study and the need for renewable buildout and transmission expansion. Journal staff at the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce also wrote about the analysis with a focus on critical actions in the building sector. Lastly, Seattle’s Post Alley posted my blog summarizing the key findings from the analysis.
On July 17, we gathered at the K&L Gates Seattle office to share key findings from the Net-Zero Northwest analysis with Washington climate and clean energy stakeholders from key constituencies—state legislators, state agencies, utilities, advocates, and clean energy investors and funders. I introduced the study and Jeremy Hargreaves of Evolved Energy Research presented the key findings from the technical report, followed by an engaging Q&A session. Both Jeremy’s presentation and a recording of the event are available.
The calendar is filling up with requests from Northwest organizations ranging from law firms to utilities to tech companies to trade associations to policy advocates. First up, a presentation I gave today to Stoel Rives energy lawyers. Please let us know if you would like to schedule a briefing.
Kate MacArthur has joined the CETI team as our summer intern. Kate is a rising junior at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, where she is pursuing a B.A. in Global Studies with a concentration in Global Environments & Sustainability and minors in Urban & Environmental Planning and French. Kate is researching environmental justice considerations for siting hydrogen projects and federal funding opportunities for rural communities. We are tapping Kate’s considerable skill as a photographer while she is with us—she took the photo that accompanies this newsletter.
Research Fellow Claire Buysse is back for a third tour of duty with CETI, helping us dissect the Net-Zero Northwest jobs and workforce data that BW Research has produced. We are aiming to release this analysis this fall. Claire previously authored our Investing in Clean Energy Jobs literature review in 2021 and developed the workforce analyses for each of CETI’s Washington industrial sector reports.
While the Net-Zero Northwest project dominated the first part of 2023, we now turn our attention to other projects that focus on implementation strategies to bend the emissions curve downward and address what we learned earlier this year in our Northwest clean energy ecosystem assessment. We will have more to say about these efforts next month.
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