Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and BC Premier John Horgan announced on Thursday a joint Clean Grid Initiative as well as the 2020 Clean Grid Summit to continue the expansion of regional collaboration on clean energy innovation.
According to a press release from the BC government, the Clean Grid Initiative reaffirms Washington and British Columbia’s long-standing commitment to collaborate on advancing the innovation economy, environmental protection and transportation connectivity. It also expands that commitment to include transitioning the regional economy to be powered as much as possible from abundant, affordable, clean electricity.
The Clean Grid Initiative will include forming an intergovernmental working group to share challenges and best practices, and develop a clean grid action plan for the region.
The working group will convene experts from government, industry and research institutions, and solicit input from stakeholders, tribes and First Nations, and other regional partners.
“Abundant, clean electricity gives us a regional competitive advantage. It’s part of our CleanBC plan, it’s part of what makes this a great place for businesses to invest and for people to live and work,” Premier Horgan said. “By working together, we can rise to the challenge of climate change, maximize our regional advantages and build a sustainable economy that works for people – now and into the future.”
Electricity supply in the Pacific northwest is among the cleanest and most affordable in the world. It is a hallmark of the region’s competitive advantage as a leader in innovation, job creation and sustainability. With the launch of the Clean Grid Initiative, Washington state and British Columbia will use the region’s clean electricity to advance the transition to clean energy across the economy.
“As we step up to defeat climate change, we must start now to comprehensively power our growing economy with clean, reliable and affordable electricity,” Governor Inslee said. “This initiative will engage our partners in the Cascadia Innovation Corridor and hopefully the entire West Coast, in this important transition. It builds on our existing strong partnership with neighbours to the north and will benefit the entire region.”
Both British Columbia and Washington have recently adopted aggressive targets for cutting emissions. Goals of the Clean BC Plan include using clean energy to make transportation, buildings and industry greener.
Meanwhile, Washington enacted legislation this year to transition the state to 100 per cent clean energy, significantly improving energy efficiency in buildings and increasing the number of EVs on the roads.
The Clean Grid Initiative follows a memorandum of understanding signed by Premier Horgan and Governor Inslee on Oct. 10, 2018 where the two pledged to act jointly to grow the region’s innovation economy, protect the environment and combat climate change, promote trade and improve transportation connectivity.
At the Joint Clean Grid Summit, Washington state and B.C. will share initial recommendations for how the region can best work together to achieve the goals of the plan.
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