Photo of panelists on stage at the Clean & Prosperous Future of Carbon Policy Forum, from left to right: Joel Creswell, Jean-Yves Benoit, Rajinder Sahota, Kelly Trombley. Title text with blue background: “Subnational Leadership Is Driving Climate Progress.” Subheading in italics: “As federal action pulls back, Washington’s proposed linkage with California and Quebec shows how state and regional partnerships can expand carbon markets, reduce volatility, and strengthen long-term climate solutions.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

At our eighth annual Future of Carbon Policy Forum, leaders from Washington, California, and Quebec discussed how linkage can strengthen markets and accelerate the clean energy transition through regional collaboration.

@ecology.wa.gov @airresources.bsky.social

In expanding WA's cap-and-trade market, 'subnational' leadership matters | Editorial By linking with California and Quebec, Washington state can improve its own cap-and-trade system while bolstering the state’s clean energy future.

Subnational climate leadership matters more than ever. WA’s proposed linkage with CA + Quebec builds a stronger, more stable carbon market, cutting volatility, lowering costs, and strengthening Climate Commitment Act investments.

@seattletimes.com

www.seattletimes.com/opinion/edit...

In a first, renewables beat natural gas on US grid last month It’s just one month, but it’s a sign of where the U.S. is headed as renewable energy — namely solar — surges onto the grid.

Renewables just beat gas on the U.S. grid for a full month.

As electricity demand rises, clean energy is taking a larger share. Solar and wind are driving most new capacity, cutting emissions and helping meet rising demand.

Renewables are becoming the backbone of the grid. 💪

@canarymedia.com

Graphic with title text: “EVs Can Help Power the Grid.” Subheading: “A Maryland pilot shows EVs can send power back to the grid during peak demand, then recharge when electricity is cheaper.” Icon representing power grid and Electric Vehicle side by side with bidirectional arrows between them. Bullet points below: “Reduced strain on the grid at critical times,” “Lowers electricity costs for customers and utilities,” “Uses existing infrastructure,” “Cuts emissions while improving reliability.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

What’s possible for the future of the grid.

A Maryland pilot shows EVs can send power back to the grid during peak demand, then recharge when electricity is cheaper. Batteries on wheels that lower costs & meet demand using infrastructure we already have.

@grist.org

grist.org/solutions/ho...

Exclusive: Merino Energy Launches an All-in-One Heat Pump for $3,800 The startup from Quilt and Gradient alums emerges from stealth today.

Heat pumps are key to cleaner, electric homes but costs and complex installs can slow adoption. This exciting development could simplify installation and dramatically bring down costs!

Momentum is building around the innovation needed to scale heat pumps.

@heatmap.news
heatmap.news/sustainabili...

Graphic with image of car parked at gas station on top half of page, gradients into solid black bottom half of page. Green title text: “Oil Prices Are Spiking. Clean Electricity Is The Alternative.” Subheading: “Global disruptions are driving gas price spikes and exposing how vulnerable our energy system is. Clean electricity offers a more stable, practical alternative for powering our economy.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with image of charger plugged into an electric vehicle on bottom half of page, gradients into solid black top half of page. Green title text: “A More Stable Energy System.” Subheading: “Clean electricity reduces exposure to global oil shocks and is already proving to be a practical solution across the economy.” Bullet points: “~ 20% of global oil flows through a single chokepoint,” “Oil markets are volatile and tied to global conflict,” “Electricity is far less price-volatile,” “Electric technologies are practical and scaling now,” “Can reliably power cars, homes, and businesses.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

A must-read from the @seattletimes.com Ed Board: Gas prices are rising again, driven by global instability.

When oil supply can be disrupted so easily, it shows how exposed our system is, and why we must transition to cleaner, more affordable fuel sources.

www.seattletimes.com/opinion/edit...

Natural gas costs are rising fast.

Turbine prices are up 195% since 2019 as demand outpaces supply - driven by data center growth and rising power needs.

Meeting demand will require more sustainable, scalable clean power to avoid higher costs and constraints.

www.woodmac.com/press-releas...

Graphic with image of damaged home with white title text: “Home insurance costs are rising, and climate risk is a big reason why.” Subheading: “Premiums jumped 12% last year to nearly $3,000, as climate-driven disasters push losses to about $100B annually. As risk rises, so do costs.” Grist logo in bottom left corner, Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with map of US displaying “Home insurance rate increases by state” with a green to orange color scale, green states representing lower percentages and orange states representing higher percentages. Bullet points below map: “nearly all states are seeing insurance increases,” “sharpest spikes in high-risk regions,” “wildfires, hurricanes, and severe storms are driving losses,” “insurers are raising rates in response to growing risk.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic showing horizontal bar chart with title “Most expensive states for home insurance.” Y-axis shows states; Florica, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, South Carolina. X-axis showing $ in increments of $0, $2,000, $4,000, $6,000, $8000. Bullet points below: “U.S. average ~$3,000/year,” “Florida: ~$8,400/year,” “Several states exceeded $4,000-$5,000,” “The gap between states is widening.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with image of workers cleaning up after extreme weather in Washington state. Title text: “Washington isn’t immune to rising risk.” Subheading: “Wildfires, flooding, and smoke are already driving risk and cost across the state. The Climate Commitment Act is funding resilience projects to reduce damage and improve long-term affordability.” Funded by Washington’s Climate Commitment Act logo centered on bottom of page, Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Climate risk is raising costs.

Premiums jumped 12% last year to ~$3K avg, while disaster losses hit ~$100B annually - up from $15B a decade ago.
Prices are rising in nearly every state. In WA, the Climate Commitment Act is investing in resilience to reduce risk and costs.

grist.org/economics/is...

Climate-Fueled Wildfires and Dust Storms Drove Up Air Pollution Around the World Last Year - Inside Climate News A new report shows air pollution threatens the majority of the world’s population, while information gaps increase the risks.

Climate change is making dangerous air pollution worse 🌍

Wildfires, dust storms, and fossil fuels pushed most cities past safe limits. Only 14% met WHO standards, exposing millions to harmful soot and smoke.

Cutting fossil fuels are key to turning this around.

@insideclimatenews.org

From left to right: Megan Dunn, Dr. Janice R. Greene, Dr. Annemarie Dooley, Michael Mann, Marko Liias

Michael Mann, Executive Director, Clean & Prosperous

CHARGE event banner with text: “CHARGE,” “continued investments in electrified modernized transportation.” Everett Transit Center in background.

Last week, we joined WA leaders to call on Congress to protect clean transportation investments in the Surface Transportation Act reauthorization.

These investments are lowering costs, creating jobs & expanding EV charging. Federal support is key to keep progress moving.

@wpsr.bsky.social

A Once-in-a-4,433-Year Heat Wave Is Hitting the Western U.S. The consequences will linger well past the high temperatures.

Climate change is supercharging extreme heat, and last month’s Western heat wave is a clear example.

The risks aren’t just higher temps: earlier wildfires, strained water systems, and serious health dangers.

@heatmap.news

heatmap.news/climate/marc...

Graphic with image of PNNL Grid Storage Launchpad building with blue sky above it with white title text: “Grid-Scale Battery Testing at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.” Subheading: “Battery companies can apply to have their grid-scale energy storage systems independently tested at PNNL’s Grid Storage Launchpad.” Off white rectangle across bottom sliver of graphic with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory logo in bottom left corner and Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with blue background and white title text: “Batteries Support Grid Stability.” Bullet points: “Batteries can be deployed quickly to provide stability during sudden changes in electricity demand,” “Batteries provide feedback regulation to help keep the grid stable boosting resilience against failure and blackouts.” Off white rectangle across bottom sliver of graphic with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory logo in bottom left corner and Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with blue background and white title text: “Independent Testing at Scale.” Bullet points below: “Third-party testing provides independent data for grid-scale systems,” “Systems can cost millions to develop, and this offers a more affordable testing option,” “Testing a ranges from 10 kW/40 kWh to 100 kW/400 kWh systems,” “Six testing bays can support up to 2.4 megawatt-hours of batteries.” Off white rectangle across bottom sliver of graphic with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory logo in bottom left corner and Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Applications are open for the Grid Storage Launchpad at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 🔋

Grid-scale batteries are essential for a reliable, modern grid.

Investments in validation and deployment like this move clean energy solutions forward and build a more resilient electricity system.

The EVs Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2026 Get excited.

EV prices are stabilizing and more affordable options are on the way 🚗⚡️

Models like the Bolt and Leaf are returning, while over 1 million EVs will enter the used market in the next 3 years.

EVs are becoming a practical way to cut everyday transportation costs.

@heatmap.news

Graphic with white background and large text centered to page: “Are you eligible for equipment vouchers?” WSDOT logo in top left corner. Image of off road equipment in bottom right corner.

WAZIP is for more than just trucks—it’s for vehicles AND equipment.

The Washington Zero-Emission Incentive Program is a statewide voucher program designed to help purchasers switch to zero-emission commercial vehicles...and equipment!

Launching later in April 🚚

wazip.org

Top 10 countries in terms of their cumulative historical CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, cement, land use, land use change and forestry, 1850-2025, billion tonnes. Source: Source: Carbon Brief analysis of figures from Jones et al (2023), Lamboll et al (2023), the Global Carbon Project, CDIAC, Our World in Data, the International Energy Agency and Carbon Monitor.

The U.S. is the world’s largest emitter, responsible for over 20% of all CO₂ since 1850. This outsized role in emissions comes with a responsibility to act. In the absence of federal leadership, states must step up.

@carbonbrief.org

www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-wor...

Graphic with title text: “Affordable EVs Are Already Here.” Horizontal bar chart below titled: “Used car purchase costs ($ thousands).” Bars represent different vehicle brands and indicate EV or gasoline car with teal or navy blue colored bars. Bullet points below chart: “Used EVs are the same price or cheaper than gas cars,” “About 10% lower cost on average,” “Most car buyers purchase used, where EV savings are strongest.” Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) logo in bottom left corner, Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with title text: “The Real Savings Come After You Buy.” Horizontal bar chart below titled: “Gas vehicle costs compared to EV costs (cents/mile). Two bars representing Gas (navy blue) and EV (teal). Bullets below chart: “Cuts driving costs 40-65%,” “Save $800-$1,000 per year on fuel,” “More EVs entering the market → growing affordable options.” Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) logo in bottom left corner, Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Affordable EVs are already here 🚗

Switching to an EV can cut driving costs 40-60%, with many drivers saving $800-$1,000/yr on fuel.

More EVs entering the market = more options, making it easier to access cleaner, low-cost transportation.

@rockymtninst.bsky.social

rmi.org/tired-of-gas...

How electrifying a Bay Area rail system made trains faster, cleaner, and more frequent A $2.4 billion upgrade to Caltrain is shaving time off trips, boosting ridership, and reducing riders’ exposure to toxic diesel pollution.

Caltrain’s switch to electric trains is delivering faster trips, cleaner air, and better service 🚆

Trips are up to 23 minutes quicker, weekend ridership has doubled, and exposure to diesel pollution dropped 89%.

Faster, cleaner, more reliable service is bringing riders back.

@grist.org

@wastatecommerce.bsky.social announced $16.8M in clean energy grants for 22 projects across 17 tribal communities.

Funded by the Climate Commitment Act, these investments support solar, storage, electric boats, and energy planning to strengthen resilience.

content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WAD...

WA aims to stabilize carbon market, lower costs with key strategy Linking carbon markets with California and Quebec is a long-sought way to inject stability and predictability into these uncertain times, state officials say.

WA is moving to link its carbon market with California and Québec.

A larger shared market would help stabilize allowance prices, reduce volatility, and lower costs for businesses. It also strengthens state-led climate action and builds momentum for other states to join.

@seattletimes.com

Graphic with green header and white title text: “Launching Soon!” Washington State Department of Transportation logo in top right corner. Image of zero-emission trucks in a parking lot below header on rest of graphic.

Launching soon! 🚚

@wsdot.wa.gov is introducing a $112M program to help fleets transition to cleaner vehicles. Starting in April, vouchers will be available through the Washington Zero-Emission Incentive Program (WAZIP) to help purchase zero-emission trucks and equipment.

www.wazip.org

Oil and gas workers find an easy segue into geothermal jobs A vast pool of technical expertise is ready to tap the tremendous promise of enhanced geothermal.

More reason to love geothermal: Seamless skills transfer for existing workers 👷

A DOE report finds up to 300k U.S. oil & gas workers have the drilling skills needed for enhanced geothermal - one reason the industry could scale faster than expected.

Same expertise. Clean energy.

@canarymedia.com

Graphic with title text on dark green background across top of page: “Washington Climate Commitment Act Allowance Auction #13 Results.” Lime green banner below that with centered subheading: “CCA Auction Results.” Two bullet points going left to right: “$182.7M new state funding for climate and clean energy projects,” “$4.72B total CCA revenue generated to-date.” Lime green banner below that with centered subheading: “Market Performance.” Two points from left to right: “$65.36 auction settlement price (APCR Tier 1 trigger),” “From $70.86 previous quarterly auction price.” ‘Funded by the Climate Commitment Act’ logo in bottom left corner, Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with title: “Explore the Impact, Mapping Washington’s Climate Commitments.” Image of the Clean & Prosperous Climate Commitment Map centered to page. Italicized text below the map: “*Updated February 23, 2026 | cleanandprosperous.org” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

WA’s first Climate Commitment Act auction of 2026 generated $182.7M for climate and clean energy, bringing total CCA revenue to $4.72B.

The auction settled at $65.36, the lowest since Dec. 2024, triggering an APCR auction.

Results come as WA moves toward linking carbon markets with CA and Québec.

The ‘Tesla exemption’ no more: Rivian and Lucid break through Washington state’s dealership wall At the start of next year, Washington state shoppers will for the first time be able to visit showrooms for Rivian and Lucid Motors, take a test drive and buy an EV.

WA is expanding direct EV sales. 🚗⚡

Starting next year, Rivian and Lucid will be able to sell vehicles directly to customers in WA - joining Tesla and allowing drivers to visit showrooms, test drive, discuss financing, and buy EVs in-state.

More access makes switching to electric easier.

Graphic with “Building Bigger & Faster in Texas” logo centered to top half of page in front of an image of a road at night with vehicle headlights on, an orange and purple sunset and wind turbines. Title text on bottom half of page: “Registration Now Open Study Mission 6.0: Building Bigger & Faster in Texas!” Subheading: “May 11-15, 2026 | Austin & Houston,” “Join us for a week of site visits and conversations with energy leaders exploring how Texas is building clean energy projects at scale.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with black background and orange title text at top of page: “Why Texas?” Subheading: “The nation’s clean energy growth leader.” Small text blocks from left to right: “Leader in solar, wind, and battery storage deployment, Major investment in innovative technologies like hydrogen and geothermal, Faster energy project timelines and grid connections.” Image of solar panels at sunset with wind turbines in background on bottom half of page. Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Registration is now open for Study Mission 6.0: Building Bigger & Faster in Texas 🤠

May 11–15, Clean & Prosperous is heading to Austin & Houston to see how the nation’s clean energy growth leader is getting projects built - and what Washington can learn.

cleanandprosperous.org/study-mission-texas/

Simpler Solar Regulations Would Save Americans $1.2 Trillion A new analysis by Permit Power calculates the cumulative benefits of cheap rooftop solar over the lifetime of a typical rig.

Simpler solar regulations could save Americans $1.2 trillion.

Streamlining permitting, inspection requirements, and interconnection processes could make rooftop solar affordable for 18M more U.S. households.

Sometimes the fastest way to cheaper energy is just simpler rules.

@heatmap.news

Graphic with three columns split on top two-thirds of page, image in column from left to right: Québec City, Québec; Sacramento, CA; Olympia, WA. Title text centered to page in white text with dark blue background: “WA, CA, and Québec Move Toward Linking Carbon Markets.” Subheading below in regular text: “A linked market would improve market stability, lower compliance costs, reduce pollution risk, and increase investment predictability.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Washington, California, and Québec released a draft agreement to link their carbon markets, putting WA months ahead of schedule.

If completed, Washington would join the California–Québec shared carbon market - the fourth-largest in the world.

Public comment open through May 1.

Trump is trying to kill clean energy. The market has other plans. The administration has done real damage to climate action, experts say. But in many ways, renewables are unstoppable.

The market continues to support clean energy ☀️

Over the past decade, the price of onshore wind has fallen 70%, solar panels 90% and batteries even more - making renewables some of the cheapest electricity sources.

The clean energy transition is just smart economics.

@grist.org

We recently visited UW Solar and UW Transportation Services to see the new 86.4 kW solar canopy at UW’s E-18 lot! 🔆

More than a decade in the making, the project feeds into the UW grid and covers 20 EV charging spaces. If expanded, it could generate up to 8 MW, or ~5% of campus electricity use.

Inside Form Energy’s Big Google Data Center Deal The long-duration energy storage startup is scaling up fast, but as Form CEO Mateo Jaramillo told Heatmap, “There aren’t any shortcuts.”

📣 Attention fellow battery nerds 📣

Form Energy just announced a 300 MW battery for a data center in MN - 100 hours of clean, firm power.

That’s over half of all U.S. battery capacity added in 2025 - in one project.

Multi-day storage is moving from pilot to grid-scale reliability.

@heatmap.news

Graphic with lime green background and title text: “Update: Mapping Washington’s Climate Commitments.” Bullets below: “In this update: 516 newly mapped investments, $136 million additional CCA funding,” “New totals: 3,484 total mapped investments, $4.25 billion total CCA funding.” Image of Mapping Washington’s Climate Commitments below. Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Graphic with lime green background and title text: “Highlights from this update.” Four rectangles with white backgrounds stacked across page. Top box text: “Transportation Improvement Board - Complete Streets: $59 million for nearly 100 projects improving safety and connectivity on local streets statewide.” Box below: “School-Related Investments: $16+ million across 280 projects, primarily towards planning energy efficiency and climate upgrades in K-12 schools statewide.” Box below: “Salmon Recovery & Fish Habitat: $42.5 million across 33 projects restoring habitat, improving fish passage, and strengthening watershed resilience.” Bottom box: “AmeriCorps Climate Corps: $5.1 million supporting 28 placements advancing clean energy and conservation projects across Washington.” Clean & Prosperous logo in bottom right corner.

Mapping Washington’s Climate Commitments is updated 🗺️

Now tracking nearly 3,500 projects and $4.25B+ in CCA investments statewide.

This round adds 516 projects and $126M more in funding for safer streets, schools, farms, salmon recovery, and Climate Corps.

climatecommitment.cleanandprosperous.org