Tenino is choosing to prepare for new opportunities through active participation in the Tenino Innovation and Education through Renewables (TIER) Project. TIER serves a two-fold purpose: training a new workforce and preparing communities to live comfortably in a new energy environment. The town was awarded a grant through PSE for a utility scale solar array and battery backup that will serve the high school for emergency situations.

Tenino is also working on funding for the K-12 education program at Tenino schools. Next year the District is already offering renewable energy applications class for the 8th grade.

TIER’s overall goal is to make the Tenino School District a K-12 education and vocational training hub in the region for modern and flexible grids by:

1. Cultivating community pride and curiosity by hosting a modern grid project locally
2. Developing a replicable, scalable, and flexible educational and vocational curriculum that can be adopted in whole or in part by schools across the nation
3. Spurring nationwide adoption of an innovative grid services program wherein startup funding creates a model that schools across the country can use at a fraction of the initial cost.

Click for more information about the TIER project.

The Smart Electric Power Alliance has nominated Tenino as one of three “Visionaries of the Year” for its TIER Project. From the SEPA Power Players 2019 Finalists, May 13, 2019:

Visionaries are “Dynamic and prominent groups or individuals that are imagining and inspiring how the electric industry envisions the future of clean energy. This can include products, programs, plans, or white papers that are not yet implemented but have promising potential to change the energy world view.”

PECI
“In March 2018, the City of Tenino and TSD signed a Memorandum of Understanding appointing PECI as the project manager. PECI’s team conducted an energy inventory for renewable and smart grid hosting capacity in Tenino and analyzed electrical meter data for the community to assess which projects would be most beneficial. PECI moved early stakeholders toward coalescing around a vision, strategies, objectives, and a work plan for the project.”

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Dave Watterson is on the Tenino City Council, and is TCAT’s Board Treasurer. After 27 years of service, he retired as Lieutenant with Lacey Fire District Three. He participated on the Board of Solar Washington for one year, and is committed to bringing renewable energy and energy efficiency to low and fixed income residents of Thurston County.