Alt text: Vegetable crops growing beneath a large agrivoltaic structure with rows of solar panels mounted overhead on a metal framework. Large leafy green plants fill the foreground, while trellised crops supported by bamboo stakes extend through the middle of the planting area. The open-sided structure allows light to reach the crops below. Grasses and additional vegetation surround the growing beds, with trees visible in the background under an overcast sky.

Energy Efficiency Opportunities Available to WA Operations Through Zero Emissions Northwest

A Northwest-based energy consultant firm offers support for WA agricultural operations looking to improve energy efficiency.

Author: Emily Whittier, WSDA

September 2, 2026

Key Takeaways

  • Zero Emissions Northwest is a local energy consulting firm offering free energy assessments and subsidized audits to WA businesses
  • Rent an electric vehicle through ZEN’s EV pilot program, GoDriveZEN.com, to see if an EV is a good fit for your operation
  • Additional opportunities are available to increase the efficiency of your existing equipment, including customization of default settings and purchasing approved agricultural-use fuel additives

Zero Emissions Northwest is a northwest-based energy firm available to help Washington businesses--including agricultural operations--understand their energy use, identify improvement opportunities, trial electric alternatives, and receive support accessing funding for energy efficiency projects.

Zero Emissions Northwest offers many programs and services, summarized below, that may be relevant to WaSHI stakeholders. ZEN is not affiliated with WaSHI. The purpose of this article is education and awareness for potentially eligible participants. ZEN offers free consultations to interested businesses as an opportunity to learn more and discuss eligibility.

ZENergy Partner

The ZENergy Partner program offers energy expertise and support through energy audits and free energy assessments, grants, and renewable energy projects.

ZEN is an official USDA Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance (EA/REDA) contractor. ZEN specializes in conducting energy assessments, energy audits and developing renewable energy projects for agricultural producers and rural small businesses across the Inland Northwest,* resulting in cost savings that would otherwise go undetected.

Not sure what's possible or what you should do? Feasibility studies are 100% free under this program. ZENergy Partner can design and implement strategic solutions customized to your company's goals using renewable energy solutions (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal) for achieving maximum energy savings.

*All of Washington is geographically eligible for this program. Please reach out to ZEN for more information about the ZENergy Partner program! 

Go Drive ZEN EV Program with Avista

Go Drive Zen is a fleet-focused initiative in partnership with Avista, designed to help commercial and business fleets evaluate electric vehicles (EVs) in real-world working conditions. Through the GoDriveZEN rental program, businesses can trial an EV to determine if an EV could be a good fit for their operational needs.

  • 14 or 28 day rental periods 
  • Two different vehicle options available:
    • 2024 Chevy Silverado EV WT (range: 390 miles)          
    • 2025 Chevy Equinox EV LET (range: 285 miles)
  • Cost
    • $600 for 14 days
    • $1,000 for 28 days
  • ZEN will deliver vehicles within Avista’s service territory (green and orange on the below map)
Alt text: Side view of a blue and white electric pickup truck displayed on a white background. The truck is branded with logos and promotional text for the Zero Emissions Northwest Fleet EV Pilot Program. A charging cable is plugged into the charging port on the rear passenger side. Visible text on the vehicle includes “TRY ME IN YOUR FLEET,” “ZERO EMISSIONS NORTHWEST,” “In Partnership with Avista,” and “FLEET EV Pilot Program.” The truck has black wheels, tinted windows, and a covered cargo bed, highlighting its use as a fleet-oriented electric vehicle for transportation and sustainability demonstrations.
Chevrolet EV Silverado WT, one of the EVs available through the GoDriveZEN EV Pilot Program. Photo courtesy of ZEN.
Alt text: Map of Avista’s utility service territory across parts of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and western Montana. A blue panel on the left reads “Avista Service Territory.” The map uses color coding to show service types: orange for electric service, blue for natural gas service, and green for areas receiving both electric and natural gas service. Service areas are concentrated in eastern Washington and northern Idaho around Spokane, Pullman, Clarkston, Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, and Moscow, with smaller service areas near Stevenson and Goldendale in Washington and around Roseburg, Medford, Klamath Falls, and La Grande in Oregon. Major cities and towns are labeled, including Seattle, Olympia, Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Boise, Missoula, and Helena. A symbol marks the Jackson Prairie Natural Gas Storage facility in southwest Washington.
Avista service territory map. Green and orange indicate where ZEN will deliver EV rental vehicles.

DERIVE VQ

ZEN uses proven engine software developed by Derive to tune your vehicle's default settings to update key parameters, increasing MPG and saving you money on fuel costs. Customizable settings include idle RPM, shift points, and acceleration.

The installation is a one-time $300 per vehicle fee and takes 15-20 minutes per vehicle. It is performed on-site at your operation to minimize burden on your fleet.

Learn more about DERIVE VQ. 

BetterFill

BetterFill is a fuel additive for both gasoline and diesel that reduces emissions and costs for businesses. BetterFill is a third-party certified carbon reduction fuel additive that can increase fuel efficiency up to 7%. BetterFill is available to the agricultural community and can be purchased directly through ZEN’s website at buybetterfill.com.

  • Can be used in either gasoline or diesel
  • 1 gallon of BetterFill treats 18,000 gallons

A case study was conducted at a large-scale wheat operation in Lincoln County, WA, during the 2024 wheat harvest. The case study explored the results of using BetterFill in two 2023 S780 John Deere combines using fuel data tracked by the John Deere Ops Center. The full case study can be reviewed here.

Learn more about BetterFill. 

Alt text: Promotional graphic for BetterFill displayed over a wheat field during harvest. A large green combine harvester is cutting grain on the right side of the image, creating a cloud of dust beneath a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds. On the left, a purple text box with the BetterFill logo highlights results from a fuel additive test. The text states that a one-week, self-administered field test cost $22 and resulted in $378 in cost savings and 135 gallons of fuel savings. Annual projections include a $440 additive cost, $5,515 in annual savings, and a reduction of 1.66 tons of emissions. The golden field stretches across the foreground, emphasizing an agricultural production setting.
BetterFill case study image and outcome summary, courtesy of ZEN website.

Rural Energy for America Program

The Rural Energy for America (REAP) program, through the USDA, provides grant funding and guaranteed loans for eligible agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements on their operation.

Eligible purchases can include refrigeration upgrades, cold storage, insulation, appliances, spray drones, and Variable Frequency Devices (VFDs) for irrigation/pumps, and more. There are two classes of project:

  • Renewable Energy Systems (RES): solar, geothermal, wind
  • Energy Efficiency Improvements (EEI): drones, HVAC, refrigeration, machinery

Grants: Currently closed

Guaranteed Loans: Open year-round

ZEN provided the below statement on the current status of the program:

“The USDA has temporarily halted the REAP grant selection process. While future grant availability remains unconfirmed, we are highly optimistic about a strategic return and note that the USDA REAP Guaranteed Loan Program remains fully active and open for applications in the meantime.”

ZEN does not handle or assist with loan applications but will hold free consultations to determine eligibility for future grant opportunities. Contact ZEN about the REAP program here.

More information on the guaranteed loan can be found here.

This article uses information pulled directly from ZEN’s website and was reviewed by a ZEN representative. Information is current as of publication, but we encourage interested individuals to reach out to ZEN directly to learn more about available programs and eligibility. WaSHI is not affiliated with ZEN programs. 

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Emily Whittier

Emily Whittier is the Market and Incentives Specialist at the Washington Department of Agriculture. She focuses on economic incentives for the adoption of soil health practices on Washington farms.

This article was published by the Washington Soil Health Initiative. For more information, visit wasoilhealth.org. To have these posts delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to the WaSHI newsletter. To find a soil science technical service provider, visit the Washington State University Extension website or the Washington State Conservation District website.