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 mission of the RHA is to advocate for harnessing renewable electricity to produce climate-neutral fuels. The Renewable Hydrogen Alliance’s mission is to promote using renewable energy to produce hydrogen and other climate-neutral fuels to replace fossil fuel consumption.

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 international, federal and state energy efficiency policy for a global building products manufacturer. Prior to settling in Portland, Oregon, Michelle worked for the World Bank in Washington, DC on infrastructure projects located 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.