September 2021 Newsletter
ODOE Publishes New Report Highlighting Oregon's Zero Emission Vehicle Landscape
The cost of zero emission vehicle ownership, new EV models and platforms, data on electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and the positive effect transportation electrification can have on Oregon’s harmful greenhouse gas emissions are just a few of the topics covered in the Oregon Department of Energy’s inaugural Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report.
The report is the product of legislation passed in 2019 aimed at tracking progress on Oregon’s ZEV adoption targets, including reaching 250,000 registered ZEVs on Oregon roads by 2025 and having at least 90 percent of new vehicles sold in the state be ZEVs by 2035, among others. While the state isn’t yet on track to meeting its ZEV targets, more than two dozen models of electric passenger vehicles are now available for purchase, and an electric pickup truck model is expected next year. Electric transit and school buses are operating in several parts of Oregon, and electric micromobility options, like e-bikes and e-scooters, are often used in the state’s urban areas to help people more easily make short trips in their neighborhoods.
One of the questions posed by the legislature is how the cost of electric vehicles compares to their gasoline-powered counterparts. The report finds that thanks to incentive programs like the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Vehicle Rebate and Charge Ahead Rebate programs, and a federal EV tax credit, some electric models can cost less than their gasoline-powered counterparts. Even when an EV model purchase price is higher, in many cases the total costs across the lifetime of the vehicle are less thanks to lower operating costs. Dive in to learn more!
ODOE Now Accepting Reservations for Solar + Storage Rebate Program
On September 27, ODOE re-launched the Solar + Storage Rebate Program, which offers rebates to residential customers and low-income service providers who install solar or solar and paired energy storage systems (batteries).
The program first launched in January 2020 and, to date, has made funding commitments (either as rebates or reservations for rebates) to 369 projects, representing over $1.38 million. The program’s initial funding was exhausted by the end of 2020, but the Oregon Legislature allocated an additional $10 million earlier this year to continue the popular program.
Homeowners are eligible for rebates up to $5,000 for solar and an additional $2,500 for paired energy storage installed together. Low-income service providers – such as nonprofits, municipalities, or other organizations serving low-income Oregonians – are eligible for up to $30,000 for solar plus $15,000 for paired storage. Rebates are issued to ODOE-approved contractors, who pass the full amount of the rebate on as savings to their customers.
Learn more about the program and eligibility requirements, and find approved contractors on our website.
Oregon Students Return to More Comfortable, Energy-Efficient Classrooms
Many students, educators, and staff returned to Oregon classrooms this month, following a challenging year like no other. When trading Zoom classes for in-person desks once again, students and educators in some districts are also returning to more comfortable classrooms thanks to energy improvement projects funded by the Public Purpose Charge Schools Program.
Senate Bill 1149, originally passed in 1999, directed Oregon’s two largest electric utilities – Portland General Electric and Pacific Power – to collect a “Public Purpose Charge” from their customers. The charge collected is equal to 3 percent of the total revenues from electricity services.
Some PPC funds collected are distributed to school districts in the utilities’ territories for energy projects. The funds support new windows, upgraded heating and cooling systems, building envelope improvements, energy efficient lighting, domestic hot water systems, and more – and, as of January 2020, funds can also support fleet audits or the purchase of zero-emission vehicles or buses and charging stations.
When the COVID-19 pandemic left classrooms empty last year, some school districts made the best of a bad situation and took the opportunity to complete energy projects. For example, the Grants Pass School District in Southern Oregon took advantage and upgraded lighting at many of their facilities in the district, nine of which were schools eligible to use PPC funds. The $1.3 million project among the eligible schools was supported by nearly $1 million in PCC funds, and is projected to save nearly 800,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. That’s enough to power about 75 homes for a year. Read more on our blog.
Meet ODOE's Interns
ODOE staff had the pleasure of working with a handful of bright up-and-coming professionals through our internship program this year. We’re extremely grateful for their many contributions and the chance to be a part of their educational journey into the professional world. Our interns have been working on a variety of projects, including a forthcoming Electric School Bus Guidebook, an update to ODOE's Electric Vehicle Dashboard, analyzing data related to the Natural Resources Damage Assessment of the Columbia Basin from the Hanford Nuclear Site, supporting planning efforts related to emergency fuel response, and even an intern working on proposing improvements to our internship program! Learn more about these amazing professionals on our blog.
Be Prepared
September is National Preparedness Month – the perfect time to assess your level of preparedness and take action so that you and your loved ones are more resilient when faced with an emergency. The Oregon Department of Energy works year round to ensure we’re ready when disaster strikes by participating in emergency drills and planning meetings with our partners. Learn more about ODOE’s emergency preparedness work on our website.
Emergency situations come in many shapes and sizes, and sometimes without warning. Whether we’re faced with wildfires, ice storms, droughts, pandemics, or extreme heat episodes, knowing how to respond in the face of disaster could mean the difference between life or death. Visit our blog to see helpful information on how to be sure you and your family are prepared when emergencies hit.
Reports from Around the Agency
Zoom zoom. We're wrapping up the month celebrating National Drive Electric Week. Here at ODOE, our team doesn't just talk the electric vehicle talk at work – check out some of our staff's own zero-emission family members on our blog.
Pump up the hydro! On our latest Grounded podcast episode, we dive into the hot topic of energy storage – specifically, pumped-storage hydropower. Tune in to hear ODOE’s own Senior Policy Analyst Rebecca Smith and Erik Steimle from Rye Development chat about this fascinating and timely topic.
On September 20, ODOE staff participated in a "Clear Path IX" tabletop exercise with the U.S. Department of Energy. The exercise moved through how Oregon and Washington would respond after a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake to acquire petroleum fuel and distribute to critical services. If Oregon experienced a disruption in fuel, ODOE would activate our Oregon Fuel Action Plan, which outlines the actions we would take with our partners. The tabletop exercise is one of several USDOE activities leading up to a large-scale Cascadia Rising drill scheduled for June 2022.
The Oregon Global Warming Commission published a proposal this month for setting a carbon sequestration and storage goal for Oregon’s natural and working lands. The proposal responds to a directive in Governor Brown's Executive Order 20-04, and outlines a set of strategies to achieve the goal. Learn more on the Commission's website.
On September 21, ODOE staff were pleased to serve as moderators during the first of a three-workshop series hosted by the Northwest Environmental Business Council. The Oregon's Energy Future workshop series covers the energy delivery system, transportation, and buildings. The next workshop is coming up on October 21.
We were excited to see this piece from KGW News about Beaverton School District students getting a ride to school on Oregon's first electric school buses. Other districts have also added electric buses to their fleets, with even more on the horizon. ODOE is developing a new electric school bus guidebook for Oregon school districts who are interested in making the switch to electric – keep an eye out for the guidebook this fall!
The Northwest Power & Conservation Council has opened a public comment period on the Draft 2021 Northwest Power Plan. The plans are developed every five years to “ensure an adequate, efficient, economical, and reliable power supply for the region.” View the draft plan on the Council’s website and submit your comments by November 19.
ODOE's Energy Facility Siting Team continues to be hard at work reviewing multiple proposed new and amended energy facilities in Oregon. One of the best ways to stay in-the-know on the latest developments is through our monthly siting project update. You can also sign up for a monthly email reminder when the dashboard is updated.
The Energy Facility Siting Council, a governor-appointed volunteer council responsible for the review and oversight of large-scale energy facilities, is also recruiting potential news members. Submit an interest form through the Governor's office, and contact Todd Cornett, ODOE's Assistant Director for Siting and the Council Secretary, with questions.
ODOE's email addresses have changed! Emails to ODOE staff should be directed to @energy.oregon.gov (replacing @oregon.gov). Old email addresses will continue to redirect for a while, but please update your address books with the new version.
COVID-19 continues to influence how Oregonians live their daily lives. ODOE's Salem office remains closed to public walk-in traffic, but our services are available. ODOE meetings are being held remotely. Keep an eye on our online calendar and sign up for emails to receive meeting notices and information on how to participate.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board | October 4, 2021 | Via Webinar
Energy Facility Siting Council | October 21-22, 2021 | Via Webinar
Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | December 14, 2021 | Via Webinar
Current Rulemakings (click to see details)