Clean Energy Transition Institute

What Clean Energy Transition Institute does

Clean Energy Transition Institute (CETI) is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and analysis organization headquartered in Seattle, Washington, founded in 2018. It produces research, modeling, and convening services aimed at accelerating an equitable clean energy transition across the four Northwest states — Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Its portfolio comprises seven interconnected research programs: Energy Pathways (including technical advisory for the Washington 2021 State Energy Strategy and Comprehensive Climate Action Plan), Building Decarbonization, Industrial Decarbonization (featuring sector analyses for aluminum, cement, glass, iron and steel, pulp and paper, and wood products), Rural Community Decarbonization (including the Claiming Power storytelling initiative), the Northwest Clean Energy Atlas mapping tool, Transmission, and Decarbonization Forums. Notable technical outputs include the Washington State Industrial Emissions Analysis (July 2021) and the Clean Materials Manufacturing project, with modeling support from partners Evolved Energy Research and SEI-US.

CETI's business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than commercial: it does not sell products or services, accepts tax-deductible contributions from foundations and individuals, and freely distributes publications through its website and monthly newsletter. Its primary beneficiaries are government policymakers (most visibly the Washington State Department of Commerce, its largest disclosed counterparty across multiple strategic deliverables), industry and labor stakeholders, environmental advocates, and rural communities in the Northwest. It generates impact and revenue by serving as a neutral technical advisor and convener rather than through customer contracts, and its only disclosed funding event is a $20,000 grant from The Russell Family Foundation in December 2023. The organization operates with 1-10 employees and runs regional convenings such as the 2022 Washington State Clean Materials Manufacturing Summit and the April 2025 Decarbonization Forum on data center energy demand.

Name

Clean Energy Transition Institute

Legal name

Clean Energy Transition Institute

Website

https://cleanenergytransition.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clean Energy Transition Institute is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and convening organization that produces decarbonization modeling, sector analyses, and stakeholder forums to accelerate equitable clean energy transition across the four Northwest U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Energy Research and Policy Analysis

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transition Plan Development & Implementation Roadmapping (EUABAKAB), Industrial Energy Efficiency & Optimization (Process Controls, Advanced Analytics, ISO 50001) (EUABAJAH), Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB)

Keywords

• Clean energy research
• Decarbonization analysis
• Climate policy research
• Industrial emissions analysis
• Energy transition consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants and Individual Donations: The institute is funded by foundations and individuals committed to accelerating regional deep decarbonization in the U.S. Northwest. They accept tax-deductible contributions from donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Clean Energy Transition Institute is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization that produces deep decarbonization research, technical analysis, and stakeholder convenings for the U.S. Northwest. It delivers a portfolio of research programs covering energy pathways, building, industrial, rural, transmission, and atlas work, complemented by the Decarbonization Forums event series and public resource libraries.

Product overview

The Clean Energy Transition Institute is a nonprofit research and analysis organization offering a portfolio of research programs and convening services focused on accelerating equitable clean energy transition in the Northwest U.S. The organization's offerings consist primarily of seven interconnected research programs: Energy Pathways (including Washington State Energy Strategy support), Building Decarbonization, Industrial Decarbonization (featuring the Clean Materials Manufacturing project with six sector-specific analyses), Rural Community Decarbonization (including the Claiming Power documentary series), Northwest Clean Energy Atlas, Transmission, and Decarbonization Forums (including annual summits). These programs are complemented by a content library of publications, research reports, and video documentaries that translate complex decarbonization solutions for policymakers, industry, and community stakeholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Energy Pathways Research and analysis program developing decarbonization pathways for the Northwest energy sector, including technical advisory support for state energy strategy. Target audience: state government policymakers and energy stakeholders.
• Building Decarbonization Research program examining strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings through energy efficiency and clean energy measures. Target audience: policymakers, building industry, and clean energy advocates.
• Industrial Decarbonization Comprehensive research program analyzing decarbonization opportunities across six heavy manufacturing sectors in Washington state. Target audience: state agencies, manufacturers, labor leaders, and policy advocates.
• Rural Community Decarbonization Program exploring clean energy development in Northwest rural communities and elevating rural voices in energy policy discussions. Target audience: rural communities, policymakers, and clean energy advocates.
• Northwest Clean Energy Atlas Interactive mapping and data visualization tool showcasing clean energy resources and infrastructure across the four Northwest states. Target audience: policymakers, researchers, and clean energy stakeholders.
• Transmission Research program focused on electricity transmission infrastructure and grid modernization to support clean energy deployment in the Northwest. Target audience: utility regulators, policymakers, and grid stakeholders.
• Decarbonization Forums Convening program bringing together regional partners, including policymakers, labor leaders, industry representatives, and environmental advocates, to debate trade-offs in the clean energy transition. Target audience: cross-sector regional stakeholders.
• Washington State Industrial Emissions Analysis Comprehensive analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from Washington's industrial facilities across six manufacturing sectors. Target audience: Washington State Department of Commerce and industry stakeholders.
• Claiming Power: Stories of Rural Communities and Clean Energy Storytelling initiative featuring short documentary films, including 'Harvesting the Sun' and 'Preserving a Way of Life,' about rural Washington communities navigating clean energy transitions. Target audience: rural communities, policymakers, and the general public.
• Clean Materials Manufacturing Research project analyzing decarbonization pathways for six manufacturing sectors (aluminum, concrete and cement, glass, iron and steel, pulp and paper, wood products), providing sector-specific overviews, flowcharts, and energy/carbon footprints. Target audience: manufacturers, policymakers, and industry advocates.
• Publications and Resources Collection of research outputs including blog posts, deep dives, demystifying decarbonization content, newsletters, presentations, and press releases, freely available to the public. Target audience: policymakers, researchers, industry, and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced Washington State Industrial Emissions Analysis for the Washington Department of Commerce in July 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• SEI-US (Stockholm Environment Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on multiple projects including Washington State Industrial Emissions Analysis and Clean Materials Manufacturing project. SEI-US scientists, particularly Derik Broekhoff, contributed expertise in climate policy, greenhouse gas accounting, and industrial decarbonization.
• Washington BlueGreen AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented Building Washington's Clean Materials Manufacturing Economy summit in June 2022, bringing together policymakers, labor leaders, industry representatives, and environmental advocates.
• University of Washington's Carbon Leadership ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on the Washington State Clean Materials Manufacturing Summit to advance clean materials manufacturing as a priority for Washington state.
• Evolved Energy ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided deep decarbonization pathways modeling for Washington State Energy Strategy. Jeremy Hargreaves served as Principal and led modeling scenario development.
• Hammerschlag, LLCsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRoel Hammerschlag served as Principal consultant in the technical advisory process for Washington State 2021 Energy Strategy.
• Inclusive EconomicssupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBetony Jones, Founder, contributed to the technical advisory process for Washington State Energy Strategy development.
• One Visual MindsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKaren Beck and Carol Maglitta served as Partners providing visual communication expertise for strategy development.
• 2050 InstitutesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPoppy Storm, Founder and Director of Innovation, contributed expertise to the technical advisory process for Washington State Energy Strategy.
• Remote EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on the Claiming Power storytelling initiative, sharing stories of rural communities and clean energy transition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): RMI is a large, well-funded clean energy think tank doing deep decarbonization analysis, industrial decarbonization, and policy advisory globally. It is the most direct scale competitor in the climate policy research space where CETI operates.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): WRI is a global research organization producing climate, energy, and sustainability analysis with US state-level policy engagement. It overlaps with CETI's work on building decarbonization, industrial emissions, and state climate planning.
• Union of Concerned Scientists: UCS is a national nonprofit producing independent climate and clean energy science and policy analysis. It overlaps with CETI in providing rigorous, nonpartisan research on clean energy transition pathways.
• Bipartisan Policy Center (Energy Program): BPC's energy program produces analysis on US energy policy, grid, and decarbonization, with state and federal engagement. It is a peer in producing nonpartisan convening and policy research on clean energy transition.

Direct peers

• Energy Innovation: Energy Innovation is a nonprofit policy research firm producing state and economy-wide decarbonization pathway analyses (e.g., Energy Policy Simulator). It directly competes for state-level climate planning mandates similar to the Washington CCAP work CETI leads.
• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI-US): SEI is an international climate and environment research institute whose US office partnered with CETI on industrial emissions analysis and the Clean Materials Manufacturing project. It is a peer in industrial decarbonization, climate accounting, and GHG methodology.
• Evolved Energy Research: Evolved Energy Research specializes in economy-wide deep decarbonization pathway modeling and was CETI's modeling partner on the Washington State Energy Strategy. It is a direct peer in state-level decarbonization modeling and scenario analysis.
• Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP): RAP is a global nonprofit providing expert regulatory and policy advice to governments on clean energy, grid modernization, and decarbonization. It is a peer in transmission, energy strategy, and regulatory advisory work similar to CETI's WA Commerce support.
• Grid Strategies: Grid Strategies is a consulting firm specializing in transmission planning and grid modernization policy — directly overlapping with CETI's Transmission program area focused on Northwest electricity infrastructure.

Regional players

• Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA): CESA is a US-focused coalition of state clean energy programs working on shared clean energy deployment challenges. While more program-focused than CETI's research focus, it operates in adjacent space on state-level clean energy policy and program design.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CETransition
• Facebookfacebook.com/cetinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clean-energy-transition-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clean Energy Transition Institute