We stand at a unique crossroads in history: the
transition from polluting, resource constrained, fossil-based energy
systems to those built on sustainable, renewable, resource-efficient
systems. This historic and unprecedented shift, which is occurring
within the electric utility market, the transportation sector, and the
built environment, offers the promise of greatly reducing the Pacific
Northwest’s collective impact on the planet while helping to ensure the
livelihoods and well-being of future generations. In a time of deep
national economic uncertainty, it also offers one of the greatest
opportunities for wealth- and job-creation in more than a generation.
In Carbon-Free Prosperity 2025 we highlight how Oregon and
Washington can create green jobs, deliver energy security, and thrive
in the global clean-tech marketplace. In a fiercely competitive
environment, the Northwest is already leading in a number of critical
and emerging clean-energy segments. The region is home to one of the
largest planned wind farms in the world; the largest planned U.S. solar
crystalline photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing facility; the world’s first
silicon feedstock production facility completely dedicated to solar;
and the largest global manufacturer of advanced meter reading (AMR)
devices.
In this report, we outline:
- The region’s key assets (strengths)and barriers (weaknesses)
- The top five clean-tech opportunities for the region, according to our interview and research findings
- A 10-point action plan for reaching carbon-free prosperity in Oregon and Washington
- How the region can be the first in the nation to achieve
approximately 75 percent of its electricity supply from carbon-free
sources (hydropower + renewables) by 2025
- How the region can create between 41,000 and 63,000 direct jobs by 2025 in just five clean-tech sectors
The study is based on interviews with more than 50 industry,
financial, and policy experts in the Northwest, and leverages
proprietary Clean Edge data on market sizing, employment figures, and
other key market factors.
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