The first quarter of 2022 has flown by with the Clean Energy Transition Institute team hard at work on scaling building decarbonization; analyzing strategies for decarbonizing industrial emissions; preparing to roll out the first iteration of our Northwest Clean Energy Atlas; and drafting a report on equitable rural building decarbonization. Here’s a brief rundown on what we’ve been up to.

Washington State 2022 Legislative Round-up

CETI Researcher Ruby Moore-Bloom reviewed how clean energy policies fared during the Washington State 2022 legislative session. While there were some climate wins, much work remains to be done on buildings and clean materials. The round-up examines bills that made it to the finish line and those that came up short this year.

Engaging the Northwest Business Community

CETI presented to two important business community organizations this month. On March 15, we participated on a panel for the Oregon Environment Council’s Business Forum called “Unlocking the Power of the Grid." I spoke about the imperative to decarbonize swiftly and equitably; why 100% clean electricity is so important and what it means for Oregon; and solutions for achieving a 50% decrease in emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.Two days later, along with colleague Gregg Small, Executive Director of Climate Solutions, I addressed the E8 Study Group, a collection of clean tech investors. I described the pathways to deep decarbonization for Washington state and the need for regional cooperation to tackle the challenges of building and managing reliable renewable energy.

Clean Materials Manufacturing in Washington

Planning for the Washington Clean Materials Manufacturing Summit continues apace. Scheduled to take place in June, this event will bring together policymakers, labor leaders, manufacturers, and environmental advocates focused on building a shared vision for making the Evergreen State a global leader in clean materials manufacturing. Participants will identify current barriers and opportunities for collaboration across silos and begin to develop a plan for how the state can grow and maintain good jobs through a targeted approach to clean materials manufacturing.

Change Our Buildings, Save Our Planet

Andrew Himes, Director of Collective Impact at the University of Washington’s Carbon Leadership Forum, gave a TedXSeattle talk that became available in March in which he explains how to change buildings from being one of the leading causes of carbon emissions into a source of transformative solutions to climate change.

What We Learned this Quarter

I offer a rundown of the best podcasts and webinars that the CETI team heard or watched during the first quarter of 2022. Given our focus on buildings and industry this year, we paid most (but not all) of our attention to pods or presentations in those areas.

Northwest Clean Energy Atlas on Deck

The Northwest Clean Energy Atlas entered the testing phase last week with an invitation to our friends and family to kick the tires and discover bugs before we open the Atlas up to the public at the end of April. Stay tuned!

See you next month.