Spark Northwest

10/13/2026

We had a great time attending Solar Washington's Solar Summit last week, where we got to connect with leaders across the solar community and discuss the ongoing opportunities, challenges, and innovations in the world of solar! ☀️

10/08/2026

If you missed last week's lunch & learn webinar about the campaign to making cooling a basic right for tenants in Washington, don't worry--you can watch the recording here!

SAFE AND COOL HOMES FOR RENTERS IN WASHINGTON Lunch and Learn held October 1, 2026 October 1, 12:00pm PST: Join the Safe and Cool Washington coalition for a noon lunch and learn about the campaign to make cooling a basic right for tenants. Extreme heat is causing death and serious illness across Was...

10/07/2026

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP), we partnered with the community of Port Orford, OR to develop their strategic energy plan. In August, Spark Northwest Project Manager Lindsey Bear participated in a community meeting hosted by Port of Port Orford to share our ETIPP work and gather community feedback on power outage priorities for the Port and surrounding community. More than 20 people, including Port users, fishermen, local business owners, and residents shared how outages affect their work, safety, and livelihoods.
The application for ETIPP Cohort 6 is open until Nov. 18! Learn more about the program and how your community might benefit here: https://sparknorthwest.org/project/etipp/

10/05/2026

At our September all-hands meeting, Sparkies got to visit our team member Mia Devine's beautiful farm Small Acres and learn about their sustainable farming practices and the delicious crops they grow! Then, we headed to Her Connection Hub in Bellingham to create energy-themed haiku. Thank you to Small Acres and Her Connection Hub for hosting us for a fun day of team learning & bonding!

09/30/2026

On Oct. 6, join Spark Northwest for an informative workshop designed to help you understand the PSE Flex Batteries Program and the role of battery storage in creating a more stable, sustainable energy system. Whether you already own a battery system or are considering installing one, this session will provide you with essential knowledge about energy basics, how home batteries work, and the incentives that are available to help reduce the costs of owning a battery by participating in PSE’s Flex Batteries program. Register: https://tinyurl.com/3c8xxvvw

09/28/2026

Join Spark Northwest, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, Elevate Community Events, and Gonzaga Climate Institute on Thursday for a 30-minute virtual lunch & learn about the Safe and Cool Washington campaign and tenant protections from heat, featuring Brian Henning (Institute for Climate, Water, & the Environment), Dr. Gordon Wheat (Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility), and Talauna Reed (Tenants Union of Washington)! Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/JsIZMlNSSOeApHc4jpYrWA

09/25/2026

At Sustainable Northwest's Make Energy Work Conference in OR last week, we had a great time on our tour of the Astoria Co+op, a community-owned grocery store that has served the North Coast for over 50 years. Their move into a new, expanded facility in 2020 created opportunities to invest in efficient building systems and renewable energy while continuing their mission of supporting local farmers, producers, and our community. Spark Northwest was proud to partner with the co-op to plan and successfully seek funding for their solar array! The co-op has also invested in an energy-saving refrigeration heat recovery system, EV charging infrastructure, and other sustainability-minded operational decisions that shape the way they serve their owners, shoppers, and the broader community.

09/23/2026

Thank you to Sustainable Northwest for hosting two members of our team at the Make Energy Work Conference in Astoria, OR last week! Spark Northwest Tribal Program Manager Eric Acosta hosted a panel about coastal resilience, and we learned so much from our partners about the future of clean energy across the Pacific Northwest. We especially enjoyed the site visit to Consejo Hispano, located in a former Lutheran church, which offers vital social services, financial literacy initiatives, youth programs, emergency cold-weather shelter, and more. They are working to retrofit their historic building with solar, storage, and energy efficiency to transform the facility into a true energy resilience hub!

09/18/2026

Exciting upcoming event from our friends at Solar Oregon: on October 3rd, join the annual Go Zero Home Tour to tour energy efficient homes in Portland and Salem and learn about going net zero, then head to a happy hour at Hi-Top Tavern! Free registration: https://ow.ly/ce7Q50ZOuA3

09/16/2026

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP), Spark Northwest partnered with the Makah Tribe to support their strategic energy planning! As they build resilience to climate change and coastal hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis, the Tribe is also managing energy needs like frequent power outages due to winter storms. To address these risks, the Tribe is scoping the relocation of critical infrastructure, evaluating opportunities to increase energy sovereignty and energy resilience, and working to empower staff to communicate effectively about renewable energy options to the community.
Applications for ETIPP cohort 6 are open now through Nov. 18! If this sounds like something that your community might benefit from, learn more here: https://sparknorthwest.org/project/etipp/