Beth Robinweiler
Puget Sound Energy | Sr Product Development Manager
Speaker
Track C: Decarbonization and Electrification Strategies
Session C2: Advancing Industrial Energy Innovation
March 12, 2026 | 9:30 am - 10:00 am
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!
Speaker Bio
Beth has 17 years of utility experience, having worked in Operational Compliance on the NERC Reliability Standards, Commercial & Industrial Energy Efficiency, and most recently as a Senior Product Development Manager at PSE, focusing on decarbonization programs. For the past year, Beth has been primarily focused on thermal energy networks and developing pilot projects to advance a cleaner grid moving forward. With a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington, Beth is a Washington native & enjoys all Washington has to offer from camping to craft beers.  She lives in Bothell with her husband, 2 energetic boys, covid Husky & cat.