Building on the region's expanding solar and wind power industries, Kittitas County, Wash., is joining with Central Washington University, the Economic Development Group of Kittitas County, Puget Sound Energy and enXco to create a broad public-private partnership focused on renewable power research and job growth.
Called the Central Washington Resource Energy Collaborative, the new organization has applied for state designation as an Innovation Partnership Zone. The designation would open the way for future state support of the collaborative.
Together, the partners have committed a total of $1.2 million in financial support and in-kind services over the next three years. In addition to recruiting renewable-power projects, the contributions will support hiring an executive director and constructing a building to house the collaborative's offices on county land at the Bowers Field Airport industrial park.
Kittitas County has four wind farms and three solar facilities in various stages of planning and production.
SOURCE: Kittitas County
