In a 2/29/2024 News Release, the Washington State Department of Commerce today announced 14 grants awarded through the Clean Energy Fund (CEF) that will expand the use of renewable energy in the state’s electrical grid. These projects are for numerous innovative clean energy technologies, including battery energy storage systems and microgrids, including projects that will increase energy resilience, opportunities to implement new technologies to replace aging infrastructure, and deployment of innovative clean technologies in communities facing climate change impacts. Tribes, retail electric utilities, local governments and community organizations were eligible for grants in this funding round that prioritized projects that serve vulnerable populations. 

The following projects will receive funding under this round:

• $128,000 to Clallam County PUD for the design of a microgrid at the Sequim substation, including incorporating existing solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, and communications assets.
• $400,000 to Creative Energy to develop a resilient zero-carbon district energy system (DES) to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from connected buildings for the First Hill Initiative, which serves a core Seattle neighborhood and is integrated with Swedish Hospital’s First Hill campus.
• $350,000 to City of Ellensburg for a smart grid solution for renewable energy deployment to the city’s electric utility.
  $149,534 to Energy Northwest to study the technical and economic characteristics of a long-duration energy storage project study in Benton County.
• $172,000 to Jefferson County PUD for the Port Townsend Pipeline Generation and Storage Study. The study will explore the feasibility of adding three in-line 1 megawatt hydro turbines to 30 inch water pipelines to supply spot loads for the planned electrification of the Port Townsend Ferry.
• $250,000 to City of Langley for a feasibility study to implement solar- and battery-powered microgrids and begin preliminary design.
  $149,534 to Lewis County PUD for the feasibility and early stage design of a solar and storage microgrid in Packwood.
• $73,234 to PacifiCorp for a feasibility study to determine the scope, size and technical requirements for a microgrid to support emergency response and additional community and environmental benefits at State Fair Park in Yakima.
• $200,000 to Puget Sound Energy for a regional planning project evaluating grid infrastructure in Kittitas County. It will also review community context, including wildfire risks and resiliency opportunities.
• $245,700 to Puyallup School District to design a solar plus battery storage microgrid that improves the resiliency of Northwood Elementary School.
• $1,753,155 to Swinomish Indian Tribal Community to equip a new residential community within the Swinomish Reservation with microgrids to address energy burden and support affordable housing demand.
• $245,000 to Tacoma Power for a study to explore sustainable pathways for increased reliability and operational efficiency for power delivery to edge-of-grid service territories.
• $2 million to Tulalip Tribes to install a microgrid for the Tulalip community at the Gathering Hall facility. This project builds on a previous Grid Modernization grant, with Snohomish PUD as the primary grantee.
• $2 million to the Willapa Bay Enterprises (WBE), the business arm of the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, to install a battery energy storage system enabling a resiliency hub for Tokeland.