Is it reasonable to be “unreasonably enthusiastic”?

When Governor Jay Inslee spoke at the Clean & Prosperous Institute’s Future of Carbon Policy Forum, he expressed his “unreasonable enthusiasm” for our state’s growing clean energy economy. He also spoke enthusiastically about the state’s “business leaders who fully understand the business opportunities and economic opportunities inherent in clean energy”:

Washington’s flourishing clean economy – and the Governor’s enthusiasm – are powered in part by turning pollution into projects that accelerate the transition from a fossil-fueled “old” economy, to a much more efficient “new” economy. 

That’s an economy where Washington state applies its long legacy of technological innovation toward leadership in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (with our strong aviation industry), green hydrogen (PNW H2Hub in Centralia), nuclear fusion (already 5 of the top 10 companies are in WA) and battery tech. With Group14, Sila Technologies, and Twelve, Moses Lake is on track to become the Silicon Valley of clean energy. Inslee noted that silicon transformed how we store information; now silicon is transforming how we store energy.

Governor Inslee made a point about championing the early success of the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). 

The Climate Commitment Act is our state’s “competitive advantage”. By putting a market-based price on carbon emissions, it requires polluters to clean up or pay up. The pollution fees collected at auction get invested in projects and programs that speed our transition to the coming clean economy.

Inslee pointed out that the revenues raised are invested here at home, keeping those dollars in-state. And even better, those dollars attract many more, in federal and private-sector investments that create jobs while cleaning the air, water, and lands on which our health depends.

Because the business community understands the economic opportunities inherent in a clean economy, and understands the power of smart public policy to spark productive private investment, it is rallying in support of the successful Climate Commitment Act. Add your name HERE.

To read more about what was said at the Forum, see this recap: