Northwest is poised for leadership in energy research

The Northwest could become the world’s leading cluster for an emerging power-technology industry in part because of existing research capabilities and related companies in the region, civic and industry leaders said yesterday at an energy conference.

By Marisa Dorazio
Seattle Times business reporter

In addition to researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, University of Washington and Washington State University, there are more than 225 power-technology companies in the Northwest that generate $2 billion in revenues a year, said Jesse Berst, managing director of The Athena Institute, an energy-research center.

However, leaders acknowledge, the Northwest has to deal with two challenges: getting the startups, cities and researchers who are developing the technology to collaborate; and competition for dollars and jobs from other regions.

The need to upgrade the technology of the electric industry gained urgency after the blackout in the Northeast last summer showed the frailties of the 50-year-old power-grid system. And, with the demand for power projected to increase 50 percent in the next 20 years, technology companies are springing up to meet that need.

"It is a new approach to an old problem," said Berst.

Rhys Roth, co-director of Climate Solutions, a company devoted to stopping global warming, found in a study that replacing the aging grid with an electronic digital grid would mean cleaner energy sources, create 32,000 jobs by 2020 and increase reliability.

For the average consumer, electronic distribution of electricity would decrease the demand for energy, the group said.

"Customers can save big on their power costs," said Bob Zak, director of sales for Powerit Solutions, a Seattle power-technology company.

Saving money and creating jobs has gotten city leaders interested in encouraging the industry, said Mayor Greg Nickels. "We’re looking for ways we can use energy more efficiently."

The city, for example, is investing $240 million in the next six years to house these digital grids.

Ben Wolters, business development manager for Seattle cautioned that obtaining funding for research has been difficult.

Marisa Dorazio: 206-464-2291 or [email protected].

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