News

An INEF-led study will explore the benefits of installing solar panels over irrigation canals, analyzing impacts on water quality and energy efficiency.

The demand for critical minerals is rapidly outpacing what current supply can meet, and traditional mining methods alone are unlikely to close the gap. Yet with improving technologies, advancing scientific […]

2025 was a year of significant momentum for the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF). The Institute expanded its team, advanced high‑impact research, strengthened student engagement, and deepened partnerships across the region and nationwide. The highlights below reflect a year of growth, innovation, and increasing leadership in the energy space.

Chad Kruger is the Assistant Director for Agriculture, Extension, and Outreach for INEF. Kruger has a graduate degree in Land Resources and has worked for WSU for 22 years, currently working with INEF and is the director of the Center for Sustainable Agriculture & Natural Resources within the University. 

It’s a bold idea, but one that has the potential to transform both the energy and agricultural landscape in Washington state and beyond: What happens if we intermingle solar energy […]

On June 21, student interns from the Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF) visited the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District to tour the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP) sites to learn more about the work being done on-site and how it can apply to their research interests.  

INEF Assistant Director For Agriculture, Extension, and Outreach Chad Kruger was recently named the recipient of the “Faculty Administrator Award” through the Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). 

The Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF) hosted a panel forum April 22 to discuss Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in the Tri-Cities region, and beyond, covering topics of sustainable energy, public perception, and the history of their creation and development.  

Washington State University Tri-Cities Institute for Northwest Energy Futures’ (INEF) Director Noel Schulz was recently elected to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Board of Directors.

Washington State University Tri-Cities and its Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF) are not just engaging academics and industries in the possibility of a carbon-neutral future—they’re inviting the community to […]

With more than 200 attendees at the ribbon-cutting and open house for Washington State University Tri-Cities Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF) it was evident that there is momentum behind INEF’s vision for a future where clean energy systems harmonize with the environment, economy, and society.

How are we going to meet the clean energy demands of the future?

The Washington State University Tri-Cities Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF) invites the community to learn the answer to this vital question at an open house and ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 4:30 – 6 p.m.