Electricity
Our electricity comes from Tacoma Power, a division of Tacoma Public Utilities. Various sources of generation are used to keep the service territory moving. The largest source of generation is hydropower. Hydropower is the energy that is captured by flowing water, which is turned into electricity. The most common type of hydroelectric power uses a dam. Because the electricity is generated by water movement without burning fossil fuels or polluting the air, hydropower is considered by most to be a clean and renewable resource. There is some discussion about the environmental impact the dams have on local waterways and estuaries and fish and wildlife populations.
Natural Gas
Natural Gas is acquired from Puget Sound Energy, which sources gas from various gas producers and suppliers across the western United States and Canada. About half the gas is obtained from producers and marketers in British Columbia and Alberta, and the rest comes from Rocky Mountains states. Natural gas is a fossil fuel formed when decomposing plants and animals are exposed to intense heat deep under the Earth's surface over millions of years.
Geothermal
The Weyerhaeuser Center for Health Sciences utilizes geothermal heating, a renewable energy source. Geothermal heating is the use of radiant heating from the Earth's crust. Geothermal energy can be seen naturally in the form of geysers and hot springs. Within Weyerhaeuser Hall, a heat pump forces the heat transfer from the ground to the building, allowing the space to be heated naturally with no burning of fuels or released emissions. There are 32 miles of tubes for radiant heating underneath the flooring.