As energy demand rises rapidly — driven by data centers, extreme weather, and electrification — leaders in Spokane have formed a new alliance aimed at solving one of the region’s most complex infrastructure challenges.

Novara Energy Alliance, a newly formed organization, is focused on challenges at the intersection of energy and water systems. Stemming from last year's merger between Urbanova and Intent, Novara is backed by founding mission partners Avista Corp., Itron Inc., and McKinstry Co., and brings together government, industry, researchers, academia, investors, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to foster collaboration and develop scalable solutions that balance affordability, reliability, and clean energy, often referred to as the industry’s “trilemma,” says Latisha Hill, board chair of Novara Energy Alliance and vice president of community affairs and chief customer officer at Avista.

Hill emphasizes the work that the region has done around energy and water for the past century as a critical foundation for looking toward the future and innovation. Novara, meaning “new horizon,” sets that tone, Hill says.

“This region has historically been a leader in energy and water innovation since the last century,” Hill says. “Let’s honor that history, but let’s think about what the new horizon is for this space. A lot of that work is already happening, has happened. How do we help the next iteration of that happen?”

The pressure to find those solutions is already showing up in the data, Hill notes. In Avista’s service area, winter peak demand has increased by more than 12% over the past decade, with summer peaks rising 9%. Globally, demand is expected to grow by more than 3.5% annually, underscoring the growing strain on both energy and water systems that Novara aims to address.

Helping guide that next phase is interim CEO Kim Pearman-Gillman, who says the alliance is rooted in a single idea: the biggest opportunities often come from what isn’t immediately visible.

“Innovation happens where you find your gaps,” she says. “What we know is what we’ve done. What we don’t know is what we don’t know.”

That work is inherently collaborative, Pearman-Gillman says, requiring input from multiple industries and disciplines. Data plays a central role, helping partners identify pressure points across energy and water systems that aren’t always visible from within a single organization.

Novara aims to position itself as the connective tissue linking those insights with expertise across sectors, she says, and bridge gaps and move ideas from concept to implementation.

As part of that effort, Novara plans to convene a regional summit this fall, where stakeholders from across industries will gather to identify shared priorities at the intersection of energy and water.

Following the summit, the organization intends to form technical advisory groups focused on specific challenges, with regular meetings designed to move ideas from discussion to implementation.

“This is greater than a Spokane initiative,” she says. “Because any innovation happening in this space needs to expand beyond whoever comes up with it.”

Pearman-Gillman also points to workforce constraints as an emerging challenge, noting that meeting future energy and infrastructure needs will require training workers to deploy and maintain new technologies across increasingly complex systems.

As previously reported by the Journal, Urbanova, a nonprofit organization focused on energy innovation, and the Inland Northwest Center for Energy and Decarbonization LLC merged in June 2025. It was recognized by the Washington State Department of Commerce as part of its Innovation Accelerator Cluster Program and awarded a $140,000 grant to support planning and development efforts.

Mason Burley, CEO of Urbanova, previously told the Journal the impetus for the merger was to position Spokane as a testbed for cutting-edge energy solutions. Following a fall summit, the newly formed group aimed to unveil a new company name, strategic initiatives, and organizational structure at a later date.  

Novara operates in the Scott Morris Center for Energy Innovation, at 12 N. Sheridan in Spokane’s University District. In addition to Hill, Novara’s board of directors includes Dale Silha, senior vice president of McKinstry, and Marina Donovan, vice president of global marketing, ESG, and public affairs at Itron. Andy Johnston, principal engineer at Johnston Engineering, is board treasurer, and Dan Wadkins, principal at Foster Garvey PC, is board secretary. Other members include retired Avista and Itron technical leaders John Gibson and Rich Christensen.

In a prepared statement, Donovan notes the increasing complexity of the region’s energy story.

“Together, we are advancing reliable, affordable access to energy — fueling economic vitality and innovation for communities throughout the Inland Northwest and beyond.”

Silha echoes Donovan’s sentiments as a founding member of the Novara board.

“By thinking boldly, sparking innovation, and working with partners who share our commitment, we aim to create positive, lasting impact for communities and the environment,” he says.

Novara plans to generate revenue primarily through a membership model, with participating organizations paying to take part in the alliance’s work. Pearman-Gillman says the approach is intended to support Novara’s role as a neutral convener, allowing it to bring together partners across industries while maintaining flexibility to pursue targeted grant funding for specific projects.

The focus is now on identifying the right problems, Hill says, and bringing together the right partners to solve them.

“If we focus, we can have some incredible breakthroughs,” Hill says.