STC Notes of the WA Comprehensive Climate Action Plan – Electric Power Roadshow

Background

The Washington Comprehensive Climate and Action Plan (CCAP) is a long-term plan to meet state and federal climate and energy mandates. It is a coordinated effort of multiple organizations under the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). CCAP will analyze all significant sources and sinks of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the state of Washington. CCAP engages with the public to provide details and get feedback. Each of these sources and sinks has a separate presentation called a roadshow.

Bill Barlow represented Sustainable Tri-Cities during the Electric Power Roadshow and took these notes.

Notes

Meeting Details

STC notes of the WA Comprehensive Climate Action Plan – Electric Power
Roadshow
Zoom Mtg. 3/11/2025, led by WA Commerce Department in collaboration with WA
Ecology

Focus: reduce Green House Gas to WA target levels set for 2030/2040/to net zero by
2050.

Baseline: 80% of WA electricity is “Clean Energy” (renewable or non-emitting)
anchored by 54% hydro power, 9% nuke, generation.

Dilemma: there is an expected 92% growth in demand for electricity by 2050 primary
due to statewide vehicular electrification and ubiquitous data storage proliferation. WA
will flip from being a net electricity exporter to an energy importer. This exacerbates the
need for massive investments in transmission build out.

Consequence: Energy research and development must be infused into every aspect of
the energy industry; from advanced metering to business practices and contract
innovations, i.e. streamlining permitting processes while ensuring local participation in
siting decisions.

Actions:

• Reduce fossil fuel burning – targeting emissions from vehicles and coal/oil/wood fired furnaces ASAP and ensure immediate energy reliability by transitioning away from the extensive network of natural gas pipelines as soon as alternative energy sources are developed and deployed.
• Expand existing clean energy sources: hydro, wind, and nuclear.
• Conservation and efficiencies, i.e. “energy star” appliances, building management and materials, load balancing, micro-grids, waste mining for re-use/up-cycling.
• Education and workforce development
  • Youth seminars
  • Health impacts of climate change, i.e. outdoor workers, unhoused, aging and vulnerable population, underemployed, food chain.
  • Career training for ‘green’ employment
• Explore emerging technologies
  • Nuclear fusion
  • Geothermal
  • Offshore wind
  • Carbon capture / sequestration
  • Tidal wave motion
  • Gravity

Silver lining: ultimately the State of Washington is reaffirming their commitment to
charting a course to balancing healthy energy generation and consumption into smart
growth management across the urban, suburban, and rural communities.