The Washington State Department of Commerce recently awarded $60.4 million in investments for nearly 100 clean energy projects across the state. The investments support 96 awards for solar, battery storage, grid upgrades, and predevelopment planning in 33 of Washington’s 39 counties.
“These investments demonstrate Commerce’s commitment to moving projects quickly from concept to construction,” said Commerce Interim Director Sarah Clifthorne. “I’m excited we’re helping neighborhoods become more resilient and helping make clean energy more affordable”
The new awards are from several Commerce programs:
- Clean Energy Grants Program
- $34.8 million to 57 projects
- Many projects will provide backup power for community facilities such as schools, emergency centers and fire districts, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The program streamlines access to funding by combining multiple state funding sources into a single application.
- Clean Energy Siting and Permitting Program
- $3.5 million to 6 projects
- Funding supports site readiness, predevelopment work, land-use studies, environmental review and staffing capacity to help communities move projects forward more efficiently.
- Clean Energy Technical Assistance
- Estimated value of $429,000 to 21 entitices
- Commerce will provide no-cost feasibility studies for solar and battery projects. After the studies are complete, Commerce will identify viable, cost-effective projects for potential future legislative funding.
- Thermal Energy Networks Pilot Project
- $4.9 million to 3 utility-owned district energy systems
- These systems use shared underground thermal loops to deliver efficient heating and cooling to multiple buildings, replacing combustion-based systems with geothermal, solar thermal and recovered waste heat.
- Washington Grid Resilience Program
- Commerce conditionally awarded more than $17.1 million of state match and federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants Program to strengthen the reliability of Washington’s electric grid against wildfires, extreme weather and other disruptions.
Read more from Commerce and check out the list of awardees.