Carbon Grand Challenge 2026

What is it?

Both a learning event and an Earth Day celebration, the Carbon Grand Challenge will showcase the best of interdisciplinary problem-solving to help decarbonize Whatcom County while highlighting current and future energy and environmental leaders in our community.

A community-focused event, the Carbon Challenge will feature students pitching decarbonization solutions, a keynote speaker, high school students and parents, and members of the Bellingham community. Faculty, students, and community members are welcome to watch student teams present their final proposals.

The event will include remarks from Sabah Randhawa (President of Western Washington University), a distinguished keynote speaker (TBA), student presentations, and posters. Light refreshments will be served.

What will student competitors do?

Students will work in teams over the course of one full day with local subject matter experts to design a solution to decarbonize Whatcom County. No prior experience necessary. Each team will give a 7-minute pitch to a panel of judges, followed by a brief Q&A session. Judges will score proposals on impact potential, feasibility, and creativity, and will name a winning team and a runner-up. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winner and runner up group! 

To learn more, there will be an informational meeting for students on April 8 at 5pm in KB 122 (RSVP here).

The 2026 Challenge: Achieving an Equitable Energy Transition in Whatcom County

At the start of the 20th century the world was mostly rural; now the world is mostly urban. Cities are laboratories for economic and social innovation—and increasingly they are laboratories for developing solutions to climate change. Cities account for roughly 75 percent of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions (see footnote 1). Cities are expected to invest trillions of dollars in built infrastructure during the next decade. From a climate-perspective—cities are a big threat and a big opportunity.

For this Grand Carbon Challenge event, students will respond to the following hypothetical scenario: A philanthropy has partnered with Whatcom County leaders to invest $10 million for a regional decarbonization project. The philanthropy seeks to fund a 10-year project (2026-2036) in Whatcom County that meaningfully advances Washington State’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2045. The philanthropy also cares about solutions that deliver meaningful benefits to communities.

Student teams, working as small consulting companies, will work intensively over a single day to design creative, evidence-based solutions to the challenge. Sector Experts, professionals with real-world knowledge, will mentor teams and help guide student brainstorming and proposal preparation.  

Team Categories

• Energy Generation
• Energy Efficiency
• Electrification
• Smart Grid
• Forestry & Agriculture
• Hard-to-Decarbonize Sectors

Judges 

The Carbon Grand Challenge will conclude with our judging panel presenting the winning and runner-up teams with awards. 

• David Benson, Partner, BIA Energy Capital
• Robert Colombe, General Manager (WA and AK), Trane Technologies
• William Johnston, Principal Owner, Sound Energy Investments
• Ross Macfarlane, Director and VP for Conservation, Sierra Club

Schedule

3pm-5:30pm: Public student presentations, Earth Day-themed poster session for high school students, and keynote address (speaker TBA)

5:30pm-6:30pm: Networking reception with light refreshments