October 2022 Newsletter
ODOE Grant Program Supports Renewable Energy Projects from Ashland to Ontario
The Oregon Department of Energy selected 21 recipients for a total of $12 million in Community Renewable Energy Grant Program funds this month. The program supports planning and construction of renewable energy or energy resilience projects for Tribes, public bodies, and consumer-owned utilities.
ODOE received 68 applications that would support about $27 million in projects for this first round of funding, and awards were chosen on a competitive basis with the help of a grant application evaluation committee. Committee members considered project feasibility and strength, equity considerations, cost savings, economic development, and other features before selecting the 21 awarded projects.
The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians will receive $1 million to support construction of two microgrid systems that pair renewable solar and battery storage to provide energy and resilience benefits to Tribal buildings. Wallowa County will use $100,000 to develop a plan for “resilience hubs” in the cities of Joseph, Wallowa, and Enterprise – each hub will pair renewable energy generation with battery storage and electric vehicle charging. Jackson County School District will use nearly $978,000 in grant funds to construct a 107.8-kilowatt solar system with battery storage at a local elementary school. The school is designated as a critical facility for emergency operations in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency; the solar plus storage installation will ensure the building retains critical backup power. Eighteen other funded projects will also support renewable energy and resilience planning and construction projects across the state.
ODOE will finalize performance agreements with the awardees, which outline their responsibilities for receiving the funds. After finalizing the agreements, the agency may release up to 30 percent of the grants, with the remaining funds released upon project completion and verification.
The Community Renewable Energy Grant Program was created by the Oregon Legislature in 2021 to support projects outside Portland city limits, with a total budget of $50 million. ODOE will make additional rounds of funding available through 2024. Sign up to receive email updates about the program and future opportunities to apply.
2022 Biennial Energy Report Coming November 1
Tomorrow is November 1, which means the Oregon Department of Energy will be publishing the third edition of our Biennial Energy Report. The report is chock-full of interesting data, energy stories from around Oregon, energy technology and resource reviews, policy briefs, and more. We'll also be launching a new, interactive energy history timeline that provides context for how Oregon's history has shaped energy – and how energy has shaped Oregon's history.
We'll share more about the report in next month's newsletter. In the meantime, keep an eye on energyinfo.oregon.gov/ber for the report's launch.
ODOE and Partners Inspect Decommissioned Naval Reactor Before Transport
In September, Oregon Department of Energy Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Assistant Director Maxwell Woods and Hydrogeologist Tom Sicilia joined staff from the Oregon Health Authority and the State of Washington at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. They are pictured below on the barge with a decommissioned submarine reactor compartment that is ready to be shipped out of Puget Sound, down the Washington coast, and up the Columbia River to the Hanford site for final disposal.
Since 1986, the U.S. Navy has been disposing deactivated compartments from nuclear submarines and cruisers in a trench at the Hanford site. So far, the trench contains approximately 135 compartments. The Navy removes the irradiated nuclear fuel from the reactors, cuts out a section of the submarine or cruiser containing the reactor compartment, and welds steel plates over any opening to seal the compartments. The Navy conducts this work at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton, Washington. The compartments, classified as low-level radioactive waste, are then sent by barge down the Washington coastline and up the Columbia River to Hanford. Oregon takes an active interest in the program because the Navy ships the compartments 310 miles up the Columbia River. The Oregon Department of Energy supports the safe transport of decommissioned Naval reactor compartments through the state, along with the Oregon Health Authority’s Radiation Protection Services and the Washington Department of Health who occasionally inspect the shipments prior to departure to ensure they meet state and federal transport regulations.
Learn more about the important work of ODOE’s Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness division and the Radioactive Waste Transport Program.
Federal Energy Investments Coming to Oregon
As we've mentioned in past newsletters, Oregon expects to receive significant federal funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Oregon will likely receive funding to support energy efficiency, weatherization, grid resilience, electric vehicles, and more over the next several years.
The Oregon Department of Energy is is working to ensure our state is well-positioned to leverage these dollars, and we'll keep Oregonians informed about the process. See the latest information about expected federal dollars coming to Oregon on our blog, view upcoming meetings and opportunities to get involved on our website, and sign up to receive email updates as new programs or dollars roll out to Oregon communities.
Reports from Around the Agency
Join our team! ODOE has a couple of recruitments closing soon. Check them out on our website and please share with your networks.
On October 6, ODOE Director Janine Benner attended the annual Tribal-State Government-to-Government Annual Summit in Florence. The summit's theme was "Celebrating our accomplishments and preparing for the challenges ahead," with numerous panels of tribal and state leaders discussing progress toward shared goals.
Director Benner and ODOE's Assistant Director for Planning & Innovation, Alan Zelenka, attended the 2022 National Association for State Energy Officials (NASEO) Annual Meeting in Florida. Janine and Alan connected with fellow state energy officials to discuss the meeting's theme, State Clean Energy Partnerships for Resilience, Affordability, and Growth.
Earlier this month, ODOE Technology & Policy Manager Jessica Reichers joined Oregon Public Broadcasting's Think Out Loud program to discuss the state's bold electric vehicle targets. Give it a listen.
The Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board met in Richland, WA on October 3 and heard updates from ODOE staff, U.S. Department of Energy officials, and the Washington State Department of Ecology. Board members also had an opportunity to tour the Hanford Site, including a stop at the vitrification plant, which is designed to turn waste into glass for long-term storage.
ODOE was proud to sponsor the Citizens' Utility Board of Oregon's annual policy conference this month. The conference focused on Energy Policy for the People, featuring panels with community advocates, utility experts, and others. ODOE provided in-kind materials, including preliminary drafts from our 2022 Biennial Energy Report, to support some of the panel topics.
The Oregon Global Warming Commission is working to finalize its Biennial Report to the Legislature and a report on the Roadmap to 2035. The Commission will meet next on November 17. Learn more at www.keeporegoncool.org.
ODOE staff once again activated our Agency Operations Center on October 25 to participate in a nuclear emergency exercise for the Columbia Generating Station Nuclear Power Plant in Washington state. This month's exercise will be graded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; FEMA evaluators were in the room to observe how ODOE and our partners responded to the simulated emergency. ODOE will use the graded feedback to identify potential response improvements.
We were pleased to see our colleague from the Oregon Department of Transportation, Mary Brazzell, recognized for her leadership in electric vehicles. Mary will receive a Drive Electric Award from Plug In America – learn more.
ODOE currently has four incentive programs up and running, including the Community Renewable Energy Grant Program, the Rural & Agricultural Energy Audit Program, Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program, and Energy Efficient Wildfire Rebuilding. Learn more about our energy incentives on ODOE's website.
Did you know ODOE's Energy Facility Siting Team is currently reviewing about a dozen proposed or amended energy facilities? From wind to solar facilities – to combined wind, solar, and storage facilities – you can learn more about the state's process and how to get involved on our website. You can also sign up to receive a monthly facility siting update showing the latest and greatest.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Oregon Global Warming Commission | November 17, 2022 | Via Webinar
Energy Facility Siting Council | November 17-18, 2022 | Hermiston & Webinar
Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | December 13, 2022 | Via Webinar
Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)
Current Rulemakings (click to see details)