Thermal Energy Networks in WA – Pipedream or Possibility?

Following HB2131 legislation that passed in 2024, utilities in WA State were given the green light to own and operate thermal energy networks (TENs) within the state. Publicized largely as a decarbonization strategy, gas utilities were given priority and Commerce grant dollars were directed for TENs pilot projects.

But what is a TEN, and how does it differ from traditional district energy systems? How do you get started, and how much is there in common with existing natural gas utility operations? Why would a gas utility expand into this space, and who pays for the TEN? How did our existing natural gas infrastructure ever get built out in the first place, and what could the next generation of affordable heating and cooling look like? Is it just a pipedream to imagine a cleaner energy solution?

PSE has been working on two pilot projects with several more concepts in the pipeline, and while there are regulatory hurdles to overcome, there is plenty of opportunity to reduce gas usage in both the built environment and in new construction. Come get a peek at what utility-scale decarbonization could look like and the ecosystem around making it happen!