News

Centralia Coal Transition Board Supports,

Solar installation at the Palouse High School

Centralia, Wash. On April 17, 2023, the Centralia Coal Transition Grants Energy Technology Board entered into a Grant Agreement with the Palouse School District to support the installation of a 100kW roof mounted solar system at Palouse High School. The grant award of $150,000 is leveraged with additional funding from the Washington Department of Commerce Solar Grant program. The solar project will reduce the Palouse School District’s usage at the high school by 54.7% allowing the savings from the electric bill to be redirected to fund capital improvement projects.

The Palouse School District has an ongoing commitment and goal to upgrade facilities and technology to best serve the staff and students. It is the district’s goal to continue finding ways to reduce operating expenses and by finding ways to implement sustainable energy sources where it financially makes sense. The proposed solar project aligns with these goals.

The Energy Technology Board was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between TransAlta and the state of Washington to transition the Centralia plant away from coal-fired operations with one unit shutting down in December 2020 and the second unit in December 2025. The company is investing $55 million into Lewis and South Thurston Counties and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition Boards.

Overview of the Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:

Annual payments for the funding boards began in 2012 with the last payment due December 31, 2023. The opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective December 31, 2015.

Weatherization Board ($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the residents, employees, business, non-profit organizations and local governments within Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be allocated to fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for low-income and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston County;

Economic & Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining, economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;

Energy Technology Board ($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the potential to create environmental benefits to the state of Washington.

Centralia Coal Transition Board Supports,

Clean Transportation for the Skamania School District

Centralia, Wash. On April 17, 2023, the Centralia Coal Transition Grants Energy Technology Board entered into a Grant Agreement with the Skamania School District to support their efforts to scrap and replace a diesel bus with an all-new EV School Bus. The grant award of $100,000 will be leveraged with additional funding efforts by the district and aligns with their goal to reduce air toxics and greenhouse gas emissions, providing cleaner air to their community.

Skamania School District is in southwest Washington and serves as a school for students from Head Start to 8^th grade. Their mission, to provide opportunities which prepare students to become responsible decision makers, lifelong learners, and caring, contributing members of society.

The Energy Technology Board was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between TransAlta and the state of Washington to transition the Centralia plant away from coal-fired operations with one unit shutting down in December 2020 and the second unit in December 2025. The company is investing $55 million into Lewis and South Thurston Counties and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition Boards.

Overview of the Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:

Annual payments for the funding boards began in 2012 with the last payment due December 31, 2023. The opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective December 31, 2015.

Weatherization Board ($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the residents, employees, business, non-profit organizations and local governments within Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be allocated to fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for low-income and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston County;

Economic & Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining, economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;

Energy Technology Board ($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the potential to create environmental benefits to the state of Washington.

Centralia Coal Transition Board supports Solar installation for the City of Medical Lake,

Centralia, Wash. (July 12, 2023) On April 17, 2023, the Centralia Coal Transition Grants Energy Technology Board entered into a Grant Agreement with the City of Medical Lake to support the installation of a 100kW ground mounted solar system at the Wastewater Treatment Plant owned by the City of Medical Lake. The grant award of $185,000 will be leveraged with additional funding from the Washington Department of Commerce Solar Grant program. The solar project will produce electrical energy allowing for a reduction in electrical charges by approximately 10.8%. This savings will reduce the City’s overall electric bill and allow the city to redirect the savings to capital improvement projects and the needs of the citizens.  

The waster reclaimed by the Wastewater Treatment Plan that this solar project will partially power goes toward maintaining the grounds of the Eastern State Hospital Campus, Lakeland Village Campus, the Washington State Veteran’s Cemetery, and local ball fields used by youth sports programs.

The City of Medical Lake is a small city in the growing west plains community of Eastern Washington in southeast Washington. Incorporated in 1890, the city has an ongoing commitment and goal to upgrade facilities and technology to best serve the community and reduce operating expenses by finding ways to implement sustainable energy sources.

The Energy Technology Board was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between TransAlta and the state of Washington to transition the Centralia plant away from coal-fired operations with one unit shutting down in December 2020 and the second unit in December 2025. The company is investing $55 million into Lewis and South Thurston Counties and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition Boards.

Overview of the Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:

Annual payments for the funding boards began in 2012 with the last payment due December 31, 2023. The opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective December 31, 2015.

Weatherization Board ($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the residents, employees, business, non-profit organizations and local governments within Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be allocated to fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for low-income and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston County;

Economic & Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining, economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;

Energy Technology Board ($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the potential to create environmental benefits to the state of Washington.

Centralia Coal Transition Board Supports Educational and Restoration Opportunities hosted by the Lewis County Stream Team, Website

Centralia, Wash. (February 7, 2023) The Centralia Coal Transition Grants Economic & Community Development Board is pleased to announce it has approved a grant award in the amount of $10,000.00 to the Lewis Conservation District. The grant will support a branch of the district, the Lewis County Stream Team, in providing educational and restoration opportunities to improve habitat for salmon and wildlife.

The Stream Team is a group of volunteers who work in the community to encourage hands on opportunities to improve the health of local streams by planting native trees to provide habitat, reduce erosion, filter pollutants, and provide shade to cool the water temperature. The Lewis Conservation District has the knowledge, tools, and network necessary for leading the Lewis County Stream Team. The team collaborates with the Office of Chehalis Basin, Carbon Capture Foundation, Centralia City Parks, Washington Department of Ecology and various local organizations and individuals to support their efforts. This team also works with educators in the local school districts to inspire students to learn more about science and conservation. The funding will further support educational workshops for local students and volunteer.

The Economic & Community Development Board was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between TransAlta and the state of Washington to transition the Centralia Plant away from coal-fired operations with one unit retiring at the end of 2020 and the second unit at the end of 2025. The company is investing $55 million into Lewis and South Thurston Counties and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition Boards.

About Lewis Conservation District

The Lewis Conservation District is a non-regulatory local agency that works with landowners to help resolve their natural resource issues on their land. The mission of the District is to provide technical and financial assistance for the conservation, protection, and development of natural resources within Lewis County.

About Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards

Overview of the Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:

Annual payments for the funding boards have been made since 2012 with the last payment due December 31, 2023.  The opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective December 31, 2015.

Weatherization Board ($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the residents, employees, business, non-profit organizations and local governments within Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be allocated to fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for low-income and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston County;

Economic & Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining, economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;

Energy Technology Board ($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the potential to create environmental benefits to the state of Washington.

Centralia Coal Transition Board awards grant to support the OCOchem Formic Liquid Hydrogen Carrier Clean Energy Demonstration Project, Website

Centralia, (February 1, 2023) The Centralia Coal Transition Grants Energy Technology Board is pleased to announce it has approved a grant in the amount of $751,892 to OCOchem Inc., a Richland, Washington organization that will design, develop, build, and demonstrate its large-scale formic Electrolyzer System and formic-fueled power generator. This grant award will be leveraged with grants from the Washington State Department of Commerce Clean Energy Fund, Tacoma Power, and Toyota Motor North America.

The Formic Liquid Hydrogen Carrier Clean Energy Demonstration Project will demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of electrochemically converting clean electricity, captured carbon dioxide and water to move and store green hydrogen in a liquid hydrogen carrier form to generate distributed power that replaces the use of polluting diesel gensets at the Port of Tacoma and other locations in the State of Washington. The project will build and operate both a demonstration scale liquid hydrogen carrier production plan and a 20kW portable power system for regional deployment beginning in the early summer of 2024.

The purpose of the Energy Technology Board is to identify worthwhile and effective energy technologies to create energy, air quality, haze, or other environmental benefits for the State of Washington. This project will reduce air pollution in the form of NOx, SOx, CO, and particulate matter and improve air quality and health prospects for employees and communities.  The board members look forward to monitoring this project as it moves forward.

“We are extremely grateful to theCentralia Coal Transition Grants Energy Technology Board for awarding us this grant so we can take this project to the next level,” said OCOchem CEO Todd Brix. “We are excited to demonstrate our new technology on a larger scale to help reduce the amount of new carbon in the atmosphere.”

The Energy Technology Board was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between TransAlta and the state of Washington. This agreement allowed for the Centralia plant to move away from coal-fired operations with one unit retiring in December 2020 and the second unit in December 2025. TransAlta is investing $55 million into Lewis and South Thurston counties and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition Boards.

About OCOchem Inc.

OCOchem is developing and scaling patented and proprietary technology that electrochemically uses carbon dioxide to store energy in the chemical bonds of formates and formic acid. OCOchem was founded in 2017 in the Pacific Northwest and operates its principal R&D laboratories in Richland, Washington.

About Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards

Overview of the Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:

Annual payments for the funding boards have been made since 2012 with the last payment due December 31, 2023.  The opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective December 31, 2015.

Weatherization Board ($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the residents, employees, business, non-profit organizations and local governments within Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be allocated to fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for low-income and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston County;

Economic & Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining, economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;

Energy Technology Board ($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the potential to create environmental benefits to the state of Washington.