About MCEI
mission
MCEI is focused on economic development that capitalizes on local infrastructure, resources, and expertise in the energy sector, while retaining and recruiting businesses and jobs that promote solutions to current and future energy challenges.
initiative
The Mid-Columbia Energy Initiative (MCEI) is providing solutions to national energy challenges by using local and regional energy resources. We are leveraging research development and commercialization expertise, business entrepreneurs, access to land, infrastructure, technical workforce, and a unique combination of sustainable power sources that already exist in this area of the Pacific Northwest.
MCEI offers a region that has the ability to pursue just about any kind of energy generation because of access to land, infrastructure, and a unique combination of sustainable power sources already being produced in the area. Supporting resources for R&D, education and training currently exist as well (i.e. Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL), Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL), MSA and other leading technology companies, and more).
MCEI supports efforts to transform the nation's current carbon-based economy into a safer, more sustainable, and economically advantageous energy ecosystem.
Vision:
Transforming the Tri-Cities into the undisputed leader in providing local, state and national clean, sustainable energy solutions and leading the way to energy independence.
history of MCEI
MCEI is a program powered by the Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC). TRIDEC is the lead economic development organization for Benton and Franklin counties in Washington State as well as a designated Department of Energy Community Reuse Organization (CRO).
MCEI came about in 2009 after DOE announced "footprint reductions" for DOE cleanup sites including Hanford, and DOE included a vision of turning some of the land into Energy Parks.
Immediately following DOE's announcement, TRIDEC called a meeting of some 20 individuals representing local energy companies, PUDs, solar manufacturers, BPA, Energy Northwest -- our state's nuclear operator -- and Mission Support Alliance (MSA). (MSA is the DOE contractor that provides infrastructure and services to support the Hanford Site's environmental cleanup mission) This meeting was called to discuss remedies for solving the nations energy challenges by utilizing the Hanford Site's local natural resources, and by leveraging research and development expertise of the areas highly trained workforce. Twenty were invited and twenty-seven showed up! This group has been meeting since January 2009, and in mid 2010 became a formal committee of TRIDEC identified as MCEI.
Now over 120 members strong, MCEI is working towards bringing about the realization that the Tri-City region is primed to become the nation's recognized leader in solving energy challenges.
accomplishments
Just the start of something great.
Now over 120 members strong, with more than 75 companies and 9 utilities as members, MCEI is working towards bringing about the realization that the Tri-Cities, WA region is primed to become the nation's recognized leader in solving energy challenges.
MCEI is focused on economic development that capitalizes on local infrastructure, resources, and expertise in the energy sector, while retaining and recruiting businesses and jobs that promote solutions to current and future energy challenges across the world.
Additionally, MCEI is promoting the region as a whole as the site location of choice for clean energy companies because of the access to affordable land, quality infrastructure, and a unique combination of sustainable power sources. In addition there are multiple resources for R&D, collaboration, education and training available through the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Washington State University's (WSU) Bioproducts Sciences and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL), Columbia Basin College and leading technology companies.
+ View Regional Energy Projects and Companies
Governor Gregoire Endorses MCEI
Excerpt from a letter to Dr. Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy:
"I write in support of the Mid-Columbia Energy Initiative (MCEI), as it related to the Waste Treatment Plant and energy park on the Department of Energy Hanford Site in Washington State."
"Without question, this initiative will reduce operating costs for DOE, decrease our nation's dependence on foreign oil, and bring renewable energy demonstrations and development to the Pacific Northwest and our nation. Therefore, I am pleased to offer my endorsement of the MCEI, relative to the Waste Treatment Plant and energy park at Hanford, and respectfully request your support for this effort."
Mid-Columbia Energy Initiative Projects Underway
- InnovaTek Inc. - Power Generation from an Integrated Biomass Reformer and Solid Oxide Fuel Cell - $2,200,000.
- Infinia Corporation - Innovative High-Efficiency Maintenance-Free Cryocooler to Support High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) Commercialization - $1,500,000.
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (WA) - Catalytic Deoxygenation of Pyrolysis Oils - up to $3.1 million. This project will collaborate with Albemarle Corporation and UOP LLC, a Honeywell Company in a three-year project to develop better processes to upgrade pyrolysis oil to hydrocarbon fuels.
- Infinia Corporation - up to $3.0 million - Infinia Corporation is developing a large-scale thermal energy storage solution that can be used with solar dishes.
- Easterday Ranches and Easterday Farms - A prominent agricultural family is giving $225,000 to support research being conducted in the Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory at Washington State University Tri-Cities. This gift funds an Easterday Graduate Research Fellow to focus on the anaerobic digestion of cattle manure and other agricultural wastes, including onions.
- PNNL Wins Share of DOE Biomass-to-Fuels Initiative
- The DOE has selected PNNL to lead one biofuels research project and participate in two others, amounting to as much as $4.3 million in funding over the next three years.
- Specifically, PNNL will focus on hydroprocessing (hydrogen reactions) to upgrade oil created through pyrolysis. Pyrolysis uses heat to break down biomass, and the resulting oil contains high levels of oxygen and acids and low thermal stability. These characteristics make it difficult to convert the oil into hydrocarbon fuels and cause rapid fouling of hydroprocessing catalysts.
- PNNL will lead a project with UOP LLC, a Honeywell Company, and Albemarle Corporation to improve catalysts used in more standard fixed-bed hydroprocessing reactors. In the other projects, PNNL will team with W.R. Grace to develop a new reactor system to handle pyrolysis oil, and with Battelle to develop a catalyst for a process to make a higher-initial-quality pyrolysis oil that may prove easier to hydroprocess.
- Infinia Corporation of Kennewick was awarded $3 million to develop a prototype compact air conditioner that uses no greenhouse gases.
- Ownership of National Training and Education Center (NUTEC) located in North Richland has been transferred to IBEW Local #77. NUTEC will be a viable, cost effective facility for employers and workers that will have to respond to increasing safety, security, and technical training requirements.
- DOE Energy Parks Legislation has made it through both the House and Senate Armed Services Committee. This bill would authorize the establishment of Energy Parks on former Weapons Complex Sites, including Hanford.
- The Department of Energy has selected a Northwest team to conduct a regional smart grid demonstration project designed to expand existing electric infrastructure and test new smart grid technology with up to 60,000 customers in five states. The $178 million Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project was one of 16 regional smart grid demonstration awards announced by DOE. The project team combines energy providers, utilities, vendors and research organizations and will be managed by Battelle.
- Infinia Corporation has teamed with the City of Richland and the Port of Benton to establish a 45 kilowatt (15 solar dishes) solar demonstration project to serve electric customers in the city of Richland.
get involved
MCEI requests that you support our efforts to transform the nation's current carbon-based economy into a safer, more sustainable, and economically advantageous energy ecosystem.
Please contact Traci Jao at tjao@tridec.org or Gary Petersen at gpetersen@tridec.org for more information on MCEI.
energy
There is an immediate need to update and expand our nation's aging infrastructure. Growing energy demands produce the need to update and expand the nation's energy grid and generation capacity. It is imperative as these changes are made that environmentally clean energy sources are utilized and that energy efficiency is increased in order to improve the environment.
MCEI is focused on developing energy programs that are:
- Clean
- Renewable
- Secure
- Grid Smart
- Economical and Competitive
- Creating New Jobs
- Creating New Industries
environment
A unique combination of sustainable power sources are already being produced in the region, helping to close the carbon loophole, including:
- Wind
- Solar
- Nuclear
- Hydroelectric
- Bioproducts
MCEI promotes pollution prevention, eliminating waste and promotes the reduction of fossil fuels through improved management. Encouraging organizations to build sustainable buildings also helps with the reduction in energy consumption and allows for energy efficiencies.
economy
The Mid-Columbia region has a long history of being at the forefront of energy technology development. With existing resources, the area is the perfect location for development of sustainable energy solutions that will lead the way to our nation's energy independence and security. MCEI fosters unity among existing and complementary energy businesses, allowing for unique partnerships that provide a strong competitive advantage.
The area boasts a skilled, specialized workforce that is highly educated and well-established. We are:
- One of three U.S. metros with 12 months of year-over-year job growth through 2009 - Garner Economics, March 2010
- Second best city for employment in the United States - Manpower, October 2009
- Host to 1,600 PhD's among 7,000+ scientists and engineers
- Fastest rising residential market in nation at +4.5% - Pinkmagazine.com, second quarter 2009
