BILL REQ. #:  S-1325.2 

Read first time 02/06/09.   Referred to Committee on Environment, Water & Energy.

     AN ACT Relating to creating a clean energy collaborative; amending RCW 28B.20.296 and 28B.20.289; adding new sections to chapter 28B.20 RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that strengthening and developing opportunities for innovation and technological research are central to strategically positioning Washington in the global and regional economy. Collaborative efforts between institutions of higher education, national laboratories, and the business sector are necessary to develop entrepreneurial and workforce talent and to identify successful partnerships that are essential for Washington to participate in the global and regional markets. Furthermore, the legislature finds that a clean energy strategy will orchestrate collaborative efforts needed to foster statewide economic growth and create living wage jobs, as well as promote, enhance, and secure Washington's position in the regional and global economy. In addition, a clean energy strategy will reduce the state's reliance on foreign energy sources and fossil fuels and enable Washington to become energy self-sufficient. To that end, the legislature endorses the "Carbon- Free Prosperity 2025 Report" and its ten-point action plan to help guide a clean energy collaborative and the goal of state energy self-sufficiency.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.20.296 and 2004 c 151 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (((1))) The Washington technology center((, through its northwest energy technology collaborative,)) shall contract with an advocacy organization that has a focus on emerging clean energy, green technology, and environmental technologies and that collaborates with business and economic development interests, to create a clean energy collaborative. The clean energy collaborative shall provide a forum for public and private ((collaborative)) cooperative initiatives to promote ((renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors)) and strengthen clean energy clusters and living wage jobs in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest. ((The center shall seek to integrate the initiatives of the northwest energy technology collaborative into existing state programs and initiatives, including grant programs administered by the center, and energy efficiency business development projects and energy assistance programs of the department of community, trade, and economic development.
     (2) The center, through its northwest energy technology collaborative, shall develop and implement a strategic plan for public and private collaboration in renewable energy and energy efficiency business development. The center, together with the department, shall prepare an initial draft of a statewide strategic plan and circulate it widely among businesses and individuals in these sectors for review and comment. The center shall also organize a summit of public and private sector interests to further developments of the proposed strategic plan. The plan shall address, among other things, the role that public sector policies, programs, and expenditures may play in promoting these economic sectors, including subjects such as workforce development, education, tax incentives, economic development assistance, public sector energy purchases, public sector construction standards, transportation, and land use regulation and zoning. The strategic plan shall include recommendations for legislative and administrative policy changes and for legislative appropriations. The plan shall also recommend proposals for capital and operating investments in public higher education facilities, proposals for creating and strengthening public and private partnerships, and proposals for federal financial assistance and expenditures for research and development programs in Washington state. The finalized strategic plan shall be provided to the governor and to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives by January 1, 2005.
     (3) The strategic plan required by subsection (2) of this section may be incorporated into the center's five-year strategic plan required by RCW 28B.20.289(3)(f).))

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The clean energy collaborative established in RCW 28B.20.296 shall: (a) Identify the various components of the state's clean energy clusters and develop an inventory of the most promising clean energy technologies, including opportunities for strengthening solar photovoltaic manufacturing, green building design services, wind power development, sustainable bioenergy, and smart grid technologies; and (b) develop a strategy to strengthen and expand the clean energy clusters within the region. The strategy must address research and development needs, commercialization of clean energy applications, opportunities for fledgling businesses, and meeting the demands of consumers.
     (2) In developing its strategy, the clean energy collaborative shall consider methods to:
     (a) Stimulate seed and start-up capital investment and entrepreneurial capacity that will promote economic growth in Washington's clean energy sector industries;
     (b) Promote investment in specialized research facilities and signature research centers where Washington has a distinct or emerging advantage for creating new products and businesses;
     (c) Develop the entrepreneurial and management capacity critical to the competitiveness of Washington's clean energy sector industries and rapidly growing global markets;
     (d) Enhance the international competitiveness of Washington's clean energy industries;
     (e) Address workforce issues for occupations critical to the competitiveness of Washington's clean energy sector industries;
     (f) Promote agreements between public and private postsecondary educational institutions and private industry that increase technology transfer and the commercialization of research; and
     (g) Promote collaboration among research institutions, the federal government, and private industry that will capitalize on opportunities to obtain private and federal funding for the research and development of clean energy products, technologies, and materials.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 RCW to read as follows:
     The clean energy collaborative established in RCW 28B.20.296, in coordination with a national laboratory located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains, shall develop a portfolio of the most promising and emerging clean energy technologies. The clean energy collaborative shall also address energy efficiency infrastructure needs including:
     (1) Developing a regional collaboration to strengthen energy efficiency achievement;
     (2) Providing a forum to ensure regional collaboration is realized;
     (3) Promoting greater understanding and use of the behavioral aspects of energy efficiency;
     (4) Counting and crediting energy efficiency and recovering energy efficiency costs; and
     (5) Realigning institutional roles while maintaining customer relationships.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   (1) By December 1, 2009, the Washington technology center shall provide a report to the appropriate legislative committees on the progress of the clean energy collaborative and the development of a strategy and a clean energy inventory as required in section 3(1) of this act.
     (2) By December 1, 2011, the Washington technology center shall provide a report on the achievements of the clean energy collaborative and include recommendations for a structure to maintain a venue for clean energy leadership in Washington state.

Sec. 6   RCW 28B.20.289 and 2003 c 403 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The technology center shall be administered by the board of directors of the technology center.
     (2) The board shall consist of the following members: Fourteen members from among individuals who are associated with or employed by technology-based industries and have broad business experience and an understanding of high technology; eight members from the state's universities with graduate science and engineering programs; the executive director of the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute or his or her designated representative; the provost of the University of Washington or his or her designated representative; the provost of the Washington State University or his or her designated representative; and the director of the department of community, trade, and economic development or his or her designated representative. The term of office for each board member, excluding the executive director of the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, the provost of the University of Washington, the provost of the Washington State University, and the director of the department of community, trade, and economic development, shall be three years. The executive director of the technology center shall be an ex officio, nonvoting member of the board. The board shall meet at least quarterly. Board members shall be appointed by the governor based on the recommendations of the existing board of the technology center, and the research universities. The governor shall stagger the terms of the first group of appointees to ensure the long term continuity of the board.
     (3) The duties of the board include:
     (a) Developing the general operating policies for the technology center;
     (b) Appointing the executive director of the technology center;
     (c) Approving the annual operating budget of the technology center;
     (d) Establishing priorities for the selection and funding of research projects that guarantee the greatest potential return on the state's investment;
     (e) Approving and allocating funding for research projects conducted by the technology center, based on the recommendations of the advisory committees for each of the research centers;
     (f) ((In cooperation with the department of community, trade, and economic development, developing a biennial work plan and five-year strategic plan for the technology center that are consistent with the statewide technology development and commercialization goals;
     (g))) Coordinating with the University of Washington, Washington State University, and other participating institutions of higher education in the development of training, research, and development programs to be conducted at the technology center that shall be targeted to meet industrial needs;
     (((h))) (g) Assisting the department of community, trade, and economic development in the department's efforts to develop state science and technology public policies and coordinate publicly funded programs;
     (((i))) (h) Performing the duties required under chapter 70.210 RCW relating to the investing in innovation grants program;
     (((j))) (i) Reviewing annual progress reports on funded research projects that are prepared by the advisory committees for each of the research centers;
     (((k))) (j) Providing an annual report to the governor and the legislature detailing the activities and performance of the technology center; and
     (((l))) (k) Submitting annually to the department of community, trade, and economic development an updated strategic plan and a statement of performance measured against the mission, roles, and contractual obligations of the technology center.