2020 Year in Review
From our Director
As each December comes to an end, I always enjoy looking back to reflect on the challenges we faced, progress we made, and successes we celebrated together over the past year. Of course, 2020 was a year like no other… from the COVID-19 pandemic to confronting racial injustices to widespread flooding last winter and devastating wildfires this fall. As we turn this corner to 2021, I think it’s safe to say most of us are pretty pleased to see 2020 in the rearview mirror.
But even with its challenges, I’m proud of the milestones we reached in 2020. In January, we launched a new Solar + Storage Rebate program, which to date has issued 250 rebates totaling nearly $818,000 for residential customers in Oregon. Forty-six of those rebates went to low- and moderate-income households. Five more rebates totaling over $95,000 went to low-income service providers. We also published new energy data dashboards this year, including an updated Electricity Resource Mix and a brand-new Electric Vehicle Dashboard, which provides county-level and vehicle-level data about EVs in Oregon. In April, the Energy Facility Siting Council approved the Bakeoven Solar Project, which became the largest approved solar project in Oregon – and the Pacific Northwest! When built, it will produce about 300 megawatts of renewable solar energy at its Wasco County site. Our agency podcast, Grounded, relaunched with a new host and new episodes. And in August, after 31 years at the Oregon Department of Energy – including 19 as Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness – Ken Niles hung up his Hanford hat. We were so sad to see him go, but his retirement was certainly well-earned.
I’m hopeful for what this year will bring. We’re gearing up to finalize the Oregon Department of Energy’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan, which has helped us hone our mission, clarify our vision and values, and outline what we do on behalf of Oregonians. We’ll be kicking off what we’re calling our Biennial Energy Report virtual “road show” to connect with stakeholders and the community to present the report’s findings and hear feedback about what you want the future of energy in Oregon to look like. Next fall, we’ll complete our first report on electric vehicles following Senate Bill 1044 (2019). The report will provide a baseline for how and where EVs are being adopted in Oregon, and recommendations for achieving a bold new set of goals, including 250,000 registered EVs on our roads by the end of 2025.
We’re ready to hit the ground running this year. Thanks for being part of our work, and I look forward to collaborating with you more in 2021. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to serve my state, and to lead the stellar team of professionals here at the Oregon Department of Energy.
Cheers to a new year –
Janine Benner
Director, Oregon Department of Energy
The Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program launched in January, and ODOE submitted its first Report to the Legislature for the program in September. All $1.5 million in available funding for rebates has been issued or reserved – with over half going to low- and moderate-income Oregonians and low-income service providers.
ODOE is working to strengthen our radioactive waste disposal program following a Notice of Violation we issued in February to the Chemical Waste Management hazardous waste landfill near Arlington. Following the discovery of the radioactive materials at the landfill, ODOE required the company to submit a detailed risk assessment and corrective action plan. We have held public meetings, launched a rulemaking effort to update and clarify the rules around waste disposal, and kept the Oregon House and Senate in the loop as we move forward. ODOE staff are now reviewing the documents and the public comments we received, and expect to have an update in early 2021. Learn more and find relevant documents and a timeline of events on ODOE’s website.
In May, ODOE Director Janine Benner shared her views on how energy contributes to climate change – and how it can be part of the solution!
In the spring, ODOE kicked off a rulemaking effort to update energy efficiency standards for appliances and other equipment as part of our Executive Order 20-04 Implementation Plan. After a series of meetings and gathering public input, ODOE submitted new administrative rules to the Secretary of State for 11 types of equipment, including water coolers, shower heads, commercial fryers, and others, set to become effective September 1. Under the procedure specified in ORS 469.261, the new standards will be considered during the 2021 Legislative Session.
In August, ODOE was pleased to announce that nonprofit Forth and Oregon-based business Platt Auto Group were the recipients of Governor Brown’s 2019 Electric Vehicle Leadership Awards. The awards stem from Executive Order 17-21, and honor businesses and organizations that support EV adoption.
In 2020, ODOE kicked off the Oregon Renewable Energy Siting Assessment project. After securing a $1.1 million grant through the U.S. Department of Defense, ODOE and our partners, including the Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Institute for Natural Resources, will assess data and develop a mapping tool about opportunities and challenges for renewable energy and transmission development in Oregon.
In September, ODOE launched a new interactive electric vehicle dashboard showing how more Oregonians are making the switch to EVs – including EV adoption rates, most popular EV models, charging information, and more. As the dashboard shows, electric vehicles are steadily becoming a more practical (and affordable!) transportation option in Oregon. The dashboard displays Oregon’s total number of electric vehicles by type, such as battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and by county location.
On November 1, ODOE published our 2020 Biennial Energy Report – a 612-page labor of love and energy nerd heaven. The report focuses on fundamental information about energy in Oregon as well as on emerging energy issues, from microgrids and energy resilience to transportation fuels to the effects of COVID-19 and climate change on the energy sector. We’re looking forward to a virtual “road show” in 2021 to share the report’s findings and hear from you. Tell us what you think or request a presentation through our online comment form.
