October 2023 Newsletter

U.S. Department of Energy Selects Pacific Northwest for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub

The U.S. Department of Energy selected the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association’s PNWH2 Hub for award negotiations following a competitive nationwide process for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs. The hubs will kickstart a national network of clean hydrogen producers, consumers, and connective infrastructure while supporting the production, storage, delivery, and end-use of clean hydrogen.

The PNWH2 Hub will leverage the abundant clean power and innovative technology companies in the Pacific Northwest to accelerate the transition to clean hydrogen production and use. The hub will focus on decarbonizing the region’s hard-to-electrify heavy-duty transportation, long-duration energy storage, ports, agriculture, and industrial operations.

The PNWH2 Hub is eligible to receive up to $1 billion in federal funding over four USDOE-defined development phases spanning nine years, with $20 million allocated for Phase 1. The hub’s projects will drive economic opportunity across all demographics, creating or supporting more than 10,000 good-paying jobs and stronger energy security to improve the lives and futures of people throughout the region. The hub vision and projects were developed with leadership from Tribes, unions, industry, and many others — and will help deliver a shared vision of clean and equitable energy systems in the Pacific Northwest.

USDOE and the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association will negotiate the final funding and scope for the hub beginning this fall.

The Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association is a multi-state nonprofit coalition of public and private partners spanning Washington, Oregon, and Montana. Oregon Department of Energy Director Janine Benner serves as Board Co-Chair for the Association. The coalition also includes representatives from Tribal Nations, labor, business and industry, higher education, government, and the environmental community.

Learn more on ODOE’s blog and at https://pnwh2.com.

Updated Oregon Solar Dashboard Shows Decades of Solar Growth

Over the past few decades, solar-generated electricity in Oregon has blossomed from a few scattered rooftop projects in the 1980s to dozens of large utility-scale solar facilities today. The Oregon Department of Energy’s interactive Solar Dashboard has been updated to show Oregon’s solar growth from 1986 to 2022.

The dashboard also shows the dramatic decrease in the cost of residential solar systems – from an average $16.53 per watt in 1999 to just $3.66 in 2021. It also illustrates annual generation in each Oregon county, the 10 largest projects in the state, utility-specific solar data, and much more.

The dashboard includes rooftop solar projects that were supported by ODOE’s Solar + Storage Rebate Program. The program can help Oregonians invest in renewable solar energy at home, with rebates of up to $5,000 for a solar electric system and up to $2,500 off a paired energy storage system. Oregonians with low or moderate incomes are eligible for higher rebate amounts. Organizations that provide services to low-income Oregonians are also eligible for rebates of up to $30,000 for solar and up to $15,000 for paired battery storage.

ODOE first published the solar dashboard in 2019 after working with regional utility, solar industry, and community partners to quantify trends in the energy sector and make data available to stakeholders in user-friendly formats. The original work was made possible in part through a federal grant provided by the U.S. Department of Energy; known regionally as Solar Plus, the project included partners in Oregon and Washington working together on strategies related to community solar, grid resilience, and energy planning.

View the dashboard on ODOE's website and learn more on our blog.

Spotlight: Oregon's Energy Facility Siting Process

Reviewing and potentially siting energy facilities – such as solar, wind, or transmission facilities – in Oregon is a complex and sometimes lengthy process. Proposed energy facilities go through a robust public process to ensure they are up to Oregon’s standards before they can be built.

Before a state-jurisdiction energy facility is built in Oregon, a developer must apply for a site certificate from the state’s Energy Facility Siting Council. The council has seven members who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Members are selected to understand, evaluate, and deliberate complex issues associated with proposed facilities and how those facilities affect people, habitat, and communities. Appointees are also selected to ensure broad geographic representation.

Council meetings are open to the public, and public involvement is built into the council’s review. State-level oversight of energy facilities helps ensure that Oregon has an adequate energy supply while protecting Oregon’s environment and public safety. Proposed facilities must prove they can meet a set of specific standards to gain approval, including considerations around land use, soil protection, fish and wildlife habitat, threatened and endangered species, and historic, cultural, and archaeological resources, among many others.

If a developer receives a site certificate from the Council, it can begin constructing and operating the facility. ODOE’s energy facility siting staff will monitor and regularly inspect energy facilities to ensure compliance with all conditions of the site certificate. Occasionally a developer with a site certificate will apply for an amendment to the site certificate. That amendment process, like the site certificate process, must go through EFSC for approval.

The Oregon Department of Energy has several resources online to help the public understand how to track and get involved in proposed energy facilities. Learn more on our blog.

ODOE Publishes Draft Energy Security Plan

The Oregon Department of Energy is working on a new Energy Security Plan for the state that will identify risks to our electricity, liquid fuel, and natural gas/propane systems — and propose ways to mitigate those risks. ODOE published a draft version of the plan on September 30, and is now turning to a public engagement effort to gather stories and data from all regions, economic sectors, Tribal Nations, and walks of life to seek feedback on the plan.

Securing and improving the resilience of energy infrastructure in the face of man-made and natural disasters has been a priority of the State of Oregon for more than a decade. Studies, reports, and plans have been developed by ODOE and other agencies to address threats and hazards to the region’s electricity, liquid fuels, and natural gas systems. In addition, government and private sector knowledge base and experience in responding to real world emergencies have grown.

Yet, there has not been a single compiled plan or document that the state can use to accurately assess Oregon’s energy security status and provide a roadmap to achieving energy security and resilience. The Oregon Energy Security Plan will fill this need. ODOE developed a draft for the U.S. Department of Energy in September. It includes foundational state-level information critical to energy security, including:

Agencies and organizations that play a role in energy security.
Overview of the emergency preparedness and response structure for all events affecting Oregon.
Coordination with federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector partners, including neighboring states.
Overview of Oregon’s energy profile and supply chains.
Summary of known energy sector threats and mitigation strategies to reduce risk.

While the plan is intended to be a living document, a final Oregon Energy Security Plan will be completed by September 30, 2024 and submitted to the USDOE and the Oregon Legislature.

Learn more on ODOE's website and sign up for email updates for future opportunities to weigh in.

Join ODOE November 13 to Kick Off Oregon Energy Strategy

House Bill 3630 directed the Oregon Department of Energy to develop a State Energy Strategy that identifies pathways to achieve the state’s energy policy objectives. The strategy will build on existing state laws, policies, and targets for energy and greenhouse gas emissions; existing energy and integrated resource plans; and energy-related studies and data analysis.

ODOE will consult with Oregonians, relevant agencies, Tribes, and stakeholders to develop the state’s strategy. Join ODOE on November 13, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. for an introductory webinar to learn about the opportunities the Energy Strategy provides and ways to engage in the process.

There will also be an opportunity for Q&A and an explanation of next steps. More information, including connection details to join the meeting virtually, will be available on ODOE’s Energy Strategy webpage prior to the meeting.

We are making efforts for this process to be as inclusive as possible. Please spread the word! Interested Oregonians can subscribe to our mailing list to receive future communications about the Energy Strategy.

ODOE Welcomes New RARE Member

The Oregon Department of Energy is thrilled to welcome a new Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) member, Alice Weston. Alice will be serving as a liaison between ODOE and central and south-central Oregon communities to help better connect Oregonians with ODOE programs and opportunities.

RARE is an AmeriCorps program administered through the University of Oregon’s Institute for Policy Research and Engagement. The RARE program aims to increase the capacity of rural communities to improve their economic, social, and environmental conditions across Oregon — and they have been doing just that for 30 years.

Alice comes to ODOE and Oregon from Baltimore, where she recently graduated with her master’s in social design from the Maryland Institute College of Art. She decided to join RARE to expand her knowledge and skills around rural issues, specifically the unique challenges related to climate change, sustainability, and the types of community engagement particularly suited to rural environments. Meet Alice in her own words on ODOE’s blog.

Reports from Around the Agency

Join our team! Keep an eye on ODOE's website for open recruitments and please share with your networks.
ODOE has issued a new Opportunity Announcement seeking additional regional administrators for the Community Heat Pump Deployment Program. The application portal will open soon, with final applications due January 12, 2024. Learn more on our website.
Oregon was pleased to welcome the National Association of State Energy Officials to Portland for the association's annual meeting. ODOE Director Janine Benner gave an opening keynote for the conference, and several other ODOE staff presented or attended to connect with fellow energy officials from across the country.
ODOE staff also joined the Oregon Citizens' Utility Board for its annual policy conference on October 6, with a focus on an equitable energy future. The ODOE team hosted an information booth to share the latest about our work and programs, and Energy Analyst Will Mulhern presented on a panel about leveraging federal energy funding.
Director Janine Benner and Senior Energy Policy Analysts Edith Bayer and Amy Schlusser headed to Seattle to take part in the fall meeting of the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation and Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (CREPC-WIRAB). This gathering of western state energy office officials and public service commissioners was an opportunity to discuss energy topics of regional importance such as market development, resource adequacy, and transmission. ODOE staff also valued being able to connect with and learn from their counterparts across the west as well as regional and national experts and stakeholders.
The Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board met earlier this month at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Richland, WA. Following the Cleanup Board meeting, board members and ODOE staff were able to see the visitor center’s physics experiments and have a sunset tour of the research center. The board and staff were also able to tour the Hanford Site’s B Reactor, which is part of the National Park Service’s Manhattan Project National Park.
ODOE Program Analyst Clay Deckert presented on incentive programs and opportunities at 350Deschutes's 2023 Go Clean Energy Conference in Bend.
ODOE Senior Climate Policy Analyst Zach Baker joined the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to host an information booth at the League of Oregon Cities Annual Conference on October 12 in Eugene. Zach had an opportunity to connect with city leaders on Oregon's efforts for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant federal funding.
Associate Director for Strategic Engagement Ruchi Sadhir and Community Navigator Sarah Moehrke joined the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde on October 17 to present on programs and opportunities for Tribes at the 2023 Oregon Tribal Environmental Forum.
ODOE Senior Policy Analyst Rob Del Mar presented on the federal Justice40 initiative, which says at least 40 percent of certain federal funds must go to disadvantaged communities, at the GridFWD conference at Skamania Lodge earlier this month. Rob also shared with attendees ODOE's experience in developing state programs with federal funds.
ODOE is accepting comments through November 29, 2023 on draft administrative rules for the Renewable Energy Development Grant Program. While the program's funds were exhausted in 2019, some compliance work remains as previously awarded projects are completed. Learn more and submit comments on ODOE's website.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program anticipates awarding at least $500 million in Clean School Bus Rebates to eligible groups in its second round of rebate funding. Applications are due January 31, 2024.
ODOE will have an opening in November for volunteer position to serve on the Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board. The 20-member board provides input to the U.S. Department of Energy and its regulators on the Hanford Nuclear Site cleanup. Learn More.
The Energy Facility Siting Council, a governor-appointed volunteer council responsible for the review and oversight of large-scale energy facilities, is recruiting for a new member. Contact Todd Cornett, ODOE's Assistant Director for Siting and the Council Secretary, with questions.
ODOE has several incentive programs up and running. Learn more about our energy incentives on ODOE's website.
Did you know ODOE's Energy Facility Siting Team is currently reviewing more than 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

Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | November 7, 2023 | Via Webinar

Oregon Energy Strategy Kick-off | November 13, 2023 | Via Webinar

Energy Facility Siting Council | November 17, 2023 | Salem and Via Webinar

Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)

Current Rulemakings (click to see details)