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Gov. Gary Locke to Kick Off Northwest Energy
Technology Collaborative
Unique 5-year agreement established to
accelerate the emergence and growth of the energy technology
industry in the Pacific Northwest
Spokane, WA - August 21, 2002 -Gov.
Gary Locke today announced the formation of the Northwest
Energy Technology Collaborative (NWETC) at a signing ceremony
attended by the founding members. The Collaborative is a joint,
voluntary effort of business, government, nonprofit, industry
and educational institutions in the Pacific Northwest—Avista
Corporation, Bonneville Power Administration, Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, Spokane Intercollegiate Research and
Technology Institute, and Washington Technology Center—who
share the common goal to position the region as a recognized
leader for innovative research, education and product development
for energy technology markets around the world.
The NWETC believes that during the coming decades, the U.S.
energy infrastructure must make a transition to incorporate
innovations in operating strategies, technologies and business
models to remain economically viable in today's global economy.
The Collaborative sees three primary national issues driving
the need for this change:
- the 21st century global economy requires an energy infrastructure
that is flexible, scalable and reliable;
- concerns about national security and economic stability
require that U.S. reliance on foreign oil be reduced; and
- environmental impacts must be minimized to ensure the highest
quality of public health.
"Washington State has the potential to become a world
leader in the development and marketing of clean energy technologies,"
Locke said. "The Collaborative will help us ensure that
the state's entrepreneurs, researchers and policy makers work
together on a strategy that allows us to realize this vision
and, ultimately, improve people's lives."
As detailed in the NWETC agreement in principle, the Collaborative
will invest financial and in-kind support for the next five
years to accelerate the growth of the region's energy technology
industry. Current projects under consideration are primary
market research, identification of intellectual property for
commercialization, coordination of research and development
efforts, and establishment of energy technology demonstration
projects. Additional members from the region are anticipated.
About the Northwest Energy Technology
Collaborative
The Northwest Energy Technology Collaborative is an agreement
among Washington Technology
Center, Avista Corporation,
Bonneville Power Administration,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
and Spokane Intercollegiate
Research and Technology Institute. The purpose of the
NWETC is to accelerate the emergence and growth of the energy
technology industry in the Pacific Northwest. The Collaborative
is a joint, voluntary effort of business, government, nonprofit,
industry and educational institutions in the Pacific Northwest
who share the common goal to position the Pacific Northwest
region of the United States as a recognized leader for innovative
research, education and product development for energy technology
markets around the world.
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