What's Up with Hydrogen in the PNW?

Join us to hear from Michelle Detwiller, Executive Director of the Renewable Hydrogen Alliance (RHA), on the status of renewable hydrogen in the PNW. The RHA advocates for harnessing renewable electricity to produce climate-neutral fuels and promotes using renewable energy to produce hydrogen and other climate-neutral fuels.

The opportunity for renewable hydrogen: As more renewable energy sources like wind, solar, tidal, and geothermal power are used to produce electricity in the Northwest region, operating the electricity system becomes more challenging. This is because renewable energy is unpredictable and isn’t always available when you need it, or, there is more renewable energy available than needed (like lots of wind in the middle of the night when most people are asleep and not using a lot of electricity). This valuable, zero-carbon power essentially gets wasted, and as we add more low-cost renewable energy to the power grid, there will be more “wasted” or curtailed power. 

About the Presenter: Michelle’s career spans over 20 years in the energy sector, primarily in government affairs. She came to RHA from PacifiCorp, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy utility, where she oversaw the utility’s engagement in California and Washington state legislative issues. She has managed Alaska public utility clients in an energy law practice and federal and state energy efficiency policy for a global building products manufacturer. Before settling in Portland, Oregon, Michelle worked for the World Bank in Washington, DC, on infrastructure projects in China, the Middle East, and North Africa. Michelle received her Bachelor of Arts in Policy Studies from Syracuse University and her Master’s in Public Administration from George Washington University.

Who's Attending

Maira Van Houten, Avangrid

Tom Sieh, Boeing

Megan Koelzer, Cascade Natural Gas

Dustin Knowles, Cascade Natural Gas 

Maria Cortez, Chevron

Haley Ellett, City of Hood River

Kurt Lyou, Convergint Technologies

Natalie Martinjus, Dry Creek Engineering & Geospatial

Mike Hopkins, FortisBC

Nico Bouwkamp, GTI Energy

Mike Alldritt, Ironworkers Local 29

Kindra Abbott, Kelvin Inc.

Gretchan Blum, NW Natural

Ian Casey, NW Natural

Gary Heikkinen, NW Natural

Donald Kewley, NW Natural

Dave Santen, NW Natural

Amy Schulties, NW Natural

Matt Morrison, Pacific NW Economic Region

Nate Weigel, PNWER

Shannon Glenn, Puget Sound Energy

Shane Richards, Puget Sound Energy

Robert Applegate, Tallgrass

John Crookston, Tetra Tech

John Scott, Tetra Tech

Steve Negri, Tetra Tech, Inc.

Sean Sparks, Tetra Tech, Inc.

Seth Worley, UA Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 598

Anna Dai, Varea