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CleanTech Alliance the nation’s largest state-level clean technology industry association, named Washington State University winner of the coveted CleanTech Achievement Award for 2015. The award, sponsored by Perkins Coie, was presented at the CleanTech Alliance Fourth Annual Meeting on November 17 in front of more than 300 business executives, investors and policymakers along with multiple international delegations.
The CleanTech Achievement Award honors a business or organization for making significant contributions in Washington State’s cleantech industry. Avista Utilities, the Cleantech Open and Washington State University were chosen as finalists for the 2015 award from more than 60 nominations. Each organization was highlighted at the Fourth Annual Meeting with a short video outlining the merits of their nomination. These videos are now available online at:
“In the past five years, Washington State University has impacted Washington State’s cleantech economy with 186 sponsored research awards, 107 invention disclosures, 198 patents filed and nine patents awarded, 55 licensing agreements and seven startup company spinoffs,” said Dr. Ralph Cavalieri, Associate Vice President for Alternative Energy at Washington State University. “Washington State University has been and will continue to be the cornerstone of cleantech research and education for generations to come.”
For more than 65 years, Washington State University has served as an anchor in the region’s cleantech economy. Washington’s only land-grant university boasts 16 research centers and labs leading in aviation biofuels, smart grid, advanced composite and bio-based materials, anaerobic digestion, air and water quality, sustainability building design and organic and precision agriculture. This diverse portfolio has earned Washington State University recognition as a national top-10 cleantech university. It also earned Washington State University the 2015 CleanTech Achievement Award.
“Washington State University is responsible for shaping our current and future cleantech innovators across sustainable energy, environment and agriculture – not to mention playing a hands-on role in critical analysis, research and development initiatives that impact our state each and every day,” said J. Thomas Ranken, President & CEO of the CleanTech Alliance. “We are truly fortunate to have a research and academic institution of Washington State University’s caliber and are pleased to present them with the 2015 CleanTech Achievement Award.”
An independent panel of judges consisting of CleanTech Alliance members screened each application to select the three finalists and overall winner.