Gov. Jay Inslee gets first glimpse of electric ferry to be built Sept. 19 in Norway, Washington.
“It’s so exciting to see the first electric ferry I’ve ever seen in the port of Oslo. I almost fell over,” he said. On an agenda focused on business partnerships and innovative approaches in energy, technology, sustainability and climate resilience in the region, Inslee said he was “shocked” by the willingness of top leaders to meet with delegations. I received it,” he said.
“We have had good conversations with various leaders who have the ability to help build economies while tackling climate change with technologies in batteries, electronics, clean steel, hydrogen, ammonia and electric ferries.”
Inslee met with his executives to discuss his 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and also learned about a company aiming to build a 30-passenger electric plane.
Inslee said the delegation has met with two new battery companies exploring new technologies in the state. The delegation met companies developing offshore wind technology and learned about the deployment of 5G technology that ports can use to reduce energy consumption.
“We are probably six companies that may be potentially interested in some way in hiring people in Washington State with some very important transitional skills that the world desperately needs. I would have met you,” Inslee said.
“This clean energy transition is moving very quickly, and when we talk to business leaders, their main concern is speed of approval, because they want to open the door.”The state is changing some permitting procedures with the siting of power plants, and the Ministry of the Environment is interested in getting more resources to evaluate permits more quickly.
Inslee said Scandinavia has had a decades head start in its clean energy transition, but Washington is at the forefront of new industrial developments and has invested heavily thanks to new federal laws. He said he was aware that “I think people who fear the threat of climate change will appreciate that people find solutions,” Inslee said.