March 2023 Newsletter
ODOE Now Accepting Applications for Community Heat Pump Deployment Program
The Oregon Department of Energy is accepting applications through April 7 from eligible regional entities to administer the agency’s new Community Heat Pump Deployment Program.
The program will allocate grant dollars to eligible entities that will then, as Regional Administrators, provide financial assistance for the purchase and installation of heat pumps and related upgrades in Oregon homes. Eligible entities include federally recognized Tribes, local governments, housing authorities, electric utilities, nonprofit organizations, and others. Grants may be allocated to one eligible entity for each region and one eligible entity for each federally recognized Tribe, but Regional Administrators may partner with other entities to administer the program. The regions are the economic development districts in Oregon, as designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Applicants can access the application portal online to submit their proposals for grant funding. A program opportunity announcement has additional information for applicants, including information to gather, details on the competitive scoring process, and more. ODOE held an informational webinar for potential applicants on March 22. A copy of the presentation and a recording of the webinar are available on our website.
You can sign up to receive email updates about this and other ODOE heat pump programs. Current and upcoming programs are listed under financial resources in our email topics list.
Oregon Public Purpose Charge Program Funds Support First Electric School Bus East of the Cascades
Students will be able to enjoy a new kind of ride to school after Bend-LaPine Schools acquired its first all-electric school bus this spring. This month, Bend-LaPine community members gathered at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend to celebrate the first public electric school bus in use east of the Cascades.
The electric school bus was also the first bus supported, in part, with Public Purpose Charge funds. The Public Purpose Charge program, administered by the Oregon Department of Energy, is funded through the state’s two largest electric utilities, Portland General Electric and Pacific Power. The funds support energy and fleet audits, energy efficiency improvements, and, as of 2020, zero emission vehicles and chargers for Oregon schools.
Bend-LaPine’s electric bus is a LionC model, manufactured by Lion Electric, that can fit up to 71 passengers with a 125-mile battery range. The bus will be assigned to a regular route in the district and will serve several elementary and secondary schools on a two-week rotation to give different route drivers the opportunity to experience driving it. The district also used Public Purpose Charge dollars to install a charger for the bus.
School buses powered by electricity reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants, reduce noise pollution, and protect the health of students, drivers, and communities. ODOE’s 2022 Biennial Energy Report shared that transportation is the state’s largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions, at 35 percent of all emissions in the state. Electrifying transportation options for Oregonians can significantly reduce emissions, especially as Oregon moves toward its goal of 100 percent clean electricity to power homes, businesses, and electric vehicles by 2040.
Several other Oregon school districts have also gone electric or are in the process of ordering new electric buses. In 2022, the Oregon Department of Energy published an electric and alternative fuel school bus cost tool and guidebook to help districts interested in adding zero emission buses to their fleets. The cost analysis tool analyzes different fuel types for school buses and summarizes the estimated costs. The paired guidebook offers additional information, recommendations, and potential financial resources (like Public Purpose Charge funding).
The Public Purpose Charge program was first established in 1999 through Senate Bill 1149 to support energy efficiency, renewable energy development, and low-income weatherization. A portion of the funds collected is distributed to school districts in Portland General Electric and Pacific Power territory for energy efficiency improvements. In January 2020, the program guidelines were updated to include school fleet audits and the purchase of zero emission vehicles and charging infrastructure.
Oregon Coast Renewable Energy Challenge Showcases Next Generation of Energy Experts
On March 21, Oregon Department of Energy Director Janine Benner served as a presenter and judge for the 2023 Oregon Coast Renewable Energy Challenge in Newport. Students from elementary and middle schools along the coast created their own renewable energy devices to compete for best design.
The Challenge is designed to educate students about renewable energy options that could be built in and provide energy for their own coastal communities (and beyond). Students developed wind or solar devices for testing in outdoor water tanks or an indoor wind tunnel. Janine was pleased to serve as a judge for the solar competition, where students were challenged to create boats that could stay afloat and move on the water thanks to solar-powered propellers.
The winning solar team was Borrowed Time from Toledo Elementary School, with team Blue from Crestview Heights School in Waldport coming in second. For the wind competitions, Blowin’ Electricity from Sam Case School in Newport won first place for the elementary school division, followed by Scientific Sharks, also from Sam Case. For the middle school division, Turbo Turbines from Warrenton Middle School came in first place, followed by Hydro Riders, also from Warrenton. The winners from each division will be invited to participate in a national championship competition in Colorado in May.
ODOE was proud to sponsor the Newport event alongside Oregon State University and Oregon Sea Grant. Learn more and see photos on our blog.
2022 ODOE Programs by the Numbers
The Oregon Department of Energy helps individuals, businesses, nonprofits, Tribes, and other Oregonians complete energy-saving and renewable energy projects through several incentive programs. From grants to rebates to energy audits, we have resources and expertise available to help you reach your energy goals.
In 2022, ODOE issued $6.4 million in rebates for solar and solar plus paired storage across the state, more than 200 wildfire survivors received a rebuilding incentive, and our newly launched Community Renewable Energy Grant Program announced 21 awardees of construction and planning grants. Auditors across the state issued more than 8,500 home energy scores. Learn more about our programs by the numbers!
Reports from Around the Agency
Join our team! Check out open recruitments on our website and please share with your networks.
Earlier this month, the Oregon Supreme Court affirmed the Energy Facility Siting Council's Final Order for the Boardman-to-Hemingway Transmission line, which EFSC approved in September. The court's decision validates the public process for siting energy facilities in the state. Public engagement is an important part of the energy facility process, and we’re grateful to the many Oregonians who engaged over the years as the proposed transmission line was reviewed and discussed.
To help Oregonians better understand how to engage in the public energy facility siting process, ODOE has developed a new informational video to share how to get involved in a Type A facility amendment request contested case. Check it out online and learn more about the siting process on our website.
ODOE Director Janine Benner was pleased to join a few organizations this month to discuss energy in Oregon. In addition to the Oregon Coast Renewable Energy Challenge presentation mentioned above, Janine served on a Wyss Scholars panel at the Lewis & Clark Law School on March 16 to discuss the clean energy transition. On March 22, Janine joined the Oregon Environmental Council for a discussion on embracing the federal investment opportunities coming to Oregon.
ODOE Senior Energy Policy Analyst Rebecca Smith presented on hydrogen's role in the clean energy transition at the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference at the University of Oregon on March 3.
ODOE team members Ruchi Sadhir, Christy Splitt, and Patrick DePriest took a tour of Portland General Electric's Integrated Operations Center in Tualatin earlier this month. The IOC centralizes PGE's mission-critical operations that maintain the flow of power to customers throughout its service territory.
Check out Energy Trust of Oregon's blog to hear about how Trinity Ranch in Redmond was able to make energy efficiency improvements thanks to ETO and ODOE support. Learn more about energy audits for Oregon farms and rural small businesses.
Come see us on Earth Day! Oregon Department of Energy staff will once again host a booth at the Oregon Garden's Earth Day celebration on April 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More Oregonians than ever are making the switch to electric vehicles thanks, in part, to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. The program is running low on funding, so DEQ has announced it will temporarily suspend the program as of May 1, 2023.
Oregon's largest Tesla Supercharging Center has opened in Sutherlin. With 51 electric vehicle chargers, it is now the largest EV charging station in Oregon, and the largest in North America outside of California. Learn more.
On Energy Trust of Oregon's blog this month, learn more about Angela Singleton, a member of the University of Oregon's Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) program working with the Oregon Department of Energy this year. Angela is strengthening our outreach in Easteron Oregon communities to ensure they know about the services ODOE can provide, and so we can better understand their unique needs and interests.
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.
With the Oregon legislative session in full swing, the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment is encouraging young Oregonians to get involved and share their views with committee members. Students from kindergarten to 12th grade can sign up to tell the committee, virtually or in person, about an energy or environment issue that is significant to them. Sign up online to participate.
ODOE has several 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. ODOE is currently recruiting for regional administrators for the Community Heat Pump Deployment Program, and will launch a second heat pump program this year. 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
Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | April 6, 2023 | Via Webinar
Federal Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program Listening Session | April 25, 2023 | Via Webinar
Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board | May 9, 2023 | Hood River & Via Webinar
Energy Facility Siting Council | May 17-19, 2023 |Eastern Oregon & Via Webinar
Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)
Current Rulemakings (click to see details)