BY JOHN GILLIE, Tacoma News Tribune (MCT)

A multinational consortium of energy, chemical and investment concerns is planning the largest financial investment — $1.8 billion — ever made to create a Tacoma industrial facility if the Port of Tacoma Commission grants it a long-term lease on a key Tacoma Tideflats tract.

Northwest Innovation Works is proposing to build a plant to convert natural gas into methanol on the former site of the Kaiser Aluminum smelter near the port’s Blair Waterway. read more »

Western Coatings, a division of Peninsula Infrared, LLC, has expanded its services into commercial roof maintenance.

The company specializes in roof coatings and waterproofing.

“The big problem with roofs on most commercial buildings is that they can’t be seen,” said Grant Furness, owner of Western Coatings. “Most roof problems can be avoided by regular maintenance.”

Western Coatings offers one-time surveys or annual maintenance contracts. During the survey, minor issues are documented and repaired and more serious issues are documented and presented to the building owner or property manager with the recommended repair. read more »

Pacific Northwest energy experts said that the energy market hit a major milestone on Oct. 16 — for the first time, wind energy production has surpassed energy generated by hydropower. Due to new wind-power infrastructure in the region and strong morning winds, 85 percent of that day’s power usage was provided by wind generation.

Wind has long been viewed as a renewable resource that can provide an alternative to hydro or nuclear power. But one of the major challenges is being able to integrate renewable energy with demand — wind, for example, frequently happens at night, when the demand for electricity is low. Wind energy cannot be stored, so it is wasted if not used when it’s produced. The industry has been trying to find ways to harness the wind more effectively. read more »

The middle-of-the-night, “ah-ha!” moment came two years ago on a trip to Palm Springs, Calif.

That’s when an idea came into focus for Rick Flaherty about how to incorporate energy-efficient LED technology into replacement bulbs for high-intensity discharge (HID) lights — the kind used to illuminate spacious areas such as warehouses, gymnasiums and parking lots. read more »

Although manufacturers of T12 fluorescent lighting found a loophole earlier this year to keep the bulbs on the market, utilities are encouraging their commercial customers to upgrade to more energy-efficient lighting, such as T8 or LED. And, as the federal government and utilities continue to move to new energy-efficiency standards, the incentives offered for the upgrades are likely to decrease. read more »

The Washington State Ocean Energy Conference will be held on Nov. 8-9 at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton.

This conference will bring together ocean energy leaders, policy experts, and key stakeholders from across the spectrum of interests related to renewable energy from ocean wind. It will provide a comprehensive overview of the issues read more »

Bremerton’s top leaders in rental property management and community organizing attended Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent’s Mayor Summit on Oct. 11 to make a public commitment to prioritize energy efficiency. The summit kicked off RePower Bremerton, a communitywide program — funded by a BetterBuildings award from the U.S. Department of Energy — to increase energy efficiency in homes and create local jobs in the energy-efficiency industry. Bainbridge Island and the greater Kitsap County have similar programs underway. read more »

Installation is underway near Shelton for what may be one of the largest solar power arrays so far in Western Washington. A 225 kilowatt photovoltaic system is being placed on the site of Mason County PUD No. 3’s Johns Prairie Operations center.

The operations center will be the site for the PUD 3 warehouse; field operations such as Shelton line workers; vehicle maintenance, repair and fueling; engineering, telecommunications, the meter shop, transformer and substation maintenance; and various administrative functions. read more »

The Kitsap Humane Society (KHS) enters a new realm of social responsibility by using Green Pet Compost Company’s services. Green Pet Compost Company has biodegradable waste bags, picks up dog waste and composts it.

The average dog’s output per day is 0.75 pounds of waste. KHS at any giving time may have 50 to 60 dogs in the shelter, equaling approximately 45 pounds of dog waste per day. read more »