Oregon Department of Energy Grant Program Supports Renewable Energy and Energy Resilience Development Across the State
Media Contact: Jennifer Kalez, 503-480-9239
Grant Program Contact: community.grants@energy.oregon.gov
SALEM — The Oregon Department of Energy has selected 39 recipients to receive a total of $12 million in Community Renewable Energy Grant Program funds. The program supports planning and construction of renewable energy or energy resilience projects for Tribes, public bodies, and consumer-owned utilities.
ODOE received 52 applications requesting over $19 million to support projects for this second round of grant funding. Awards were chosen on a competitive basis with the help of a grant application evaluation committee, which included community-based organizations, renewable energy advocates, industry leaders, and technical experts from across the state. Committee members considered project feasibility and strength, equity considerations, cost savings, economic development, and other features to select the 39 awarded projects.
The Phoenix Talent School District will receive $1 million to install a ground-mounted solar installation with battery storage at Talent Middle School. The installation will act as an operable microgrid in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, ensuring the building – which will act as a local emergency shelter – retains critical backup power. The Town of Lakeview will use $100,000 to develop a plan for expanding use of the existing Lakeview Hammersley geothermal well to provide heating for city residences, businesses, and public facilities. The City of Pilot Rock will receive $1 million to support construction of a 2.9-megawatt solar facility through the Oregon Community Solar Program and in partnership with Pilot Rock Solar 2. Thirty-six other funded projects (see below) will also support renewable energy or resilience planning and construction projects across the state.
“The Oregon Department of Energy is proud to support projects in Oregon communities that will bolster renewable energy and strengthen resilience in the event of an emergency,” said ODOE Director Janine Benner. “We were pleased to see the variety of proposed renewable energy and resilience projects in counties across the state – including solar, geothermal, biogas, and micro-hydro projects, as well as paired battery storage.”
ODOE will finalize performance agreements with the awardees, which outline their responsibilities for receiving the funds. After finalizing the agreements, the agency can release up to 30 percent of the grant, 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 awarded a first round of $12 million in grants in 2022, and will make additional rounds of funding available through 2024.
Table of Awardees and Project Summaries
Klamath Community College | Construction Resilience | $999,424
Construction of a 45kW net-metered PV solar system with 25kW battery backup on the new KCC training facility.
City of Pilot Rock | Construction Renewable | $1,000,000
City of Pilot Rock partnership with Pilot Rock Solar 2, for the construction of a 2.9 MW Oregon Community Solar Program development.
City of Bend | Planning Resilience | $100,000
Planning for up to 600kW of net-metered solar PV and up to 500kW energy storage across multiple buildings and covered structures at city's new public works campus in development to offset costs and provide emergency continuous power.
Columbia County | Construction Resilience | $992,116
Construction of a net-metered 32kW PV solar system with 125kW battery storage and backup power circuitry for county operations in the John Gumm building.
Chemeketa Community College, Brooks Campus | Planning Resilience | $99,800
Planning for a net-metered 45kW solar system with a 250kW battery storage system that will serve a community water station. The system will be enrolled in the electric utility’s Energy Partner program.
Lowell School District #71 | Planning Resilience | $100,000
Planning a 100kW net-metered solar PV system with 250kW battery storage and microgrid controllers to supply power to critical services at Lowell High School.
Medford School District | Planning Renewable | $85,000
Planning for net-metered solar PV at two schools, paired with EV charging and possibly battery storage
Rogue Community College | Planning Resilience | $100,000
Planning for net-metered solar PV and energy storage microgrid at RCC's Redwood Campus to operate campus backup drinking water system in an emergency; and exploring energy storage and EV charging potential at all three RCC campus sites.
Central Oregon Community College | Construction Renewable | $70,360
Installation at Central Oregon Community College's Madras Campus of a net-metered 51kW ground-mount solar PV array to offset 80% of facilities power use via Power Purchase Agreement with Oregon Clean Power Cooperative.
Bly Water and Sanitary District | Planning Resilience | $7,290
Planning for net-metered solar PV with up to 200kwh of energy storage capacity across district's five sites to source power and support operations in emergency grid outage.
Emerald People's Utility District | Construction Resilience | $868,125
Installation at Short Mountain Landfill of 201.6kW net-metered, ground-mounted PV solar for a community solar project with low-income set-aside. Includes with 156kWh of battery storage and microgrid controllers for load balancing and limited off-grid operations.
City of Yachats | Planning Resilience | $100,000
Planning for net-metered renewable energy systems with battery storage and microgrid controllers at the Yachats Civic Campus facilities
City of Gresham | Planning Renewable | $100,000
Planning to expand the wastewater treatment plant’s biogas cogeneration system output capacity of generators from 800 kW to 1.2 MW. Improvements include expansion of anaerobic digestion, facilities to receive organic waste and improvements to the hot water loop, biosolids storage, and electrical infrastructure.
City of The Dalles | Construction Resilience | $758,051
Construction of a 79 kW PV net-metered rooftop solar with 60kW battery storage and emergency circuits to provide power during grid outages, and two level 2 electric vehicle charging stations. Project will be installed on a newly constructed multi-use community facility that will serve as a shelter during emergencies.
North Unit Irrigation District | Planning Resilience | $100,000
Planning to pipe 8000 feet of Redmond's main irrigation canal to generate up to 1.4MW net-metered in-pipe hydroelectric, including energy storage opportunities to support critical facilities in the area for power offset and emergency operations.
Town of Lakeview, Oregon | Planning Renewable | $100,000
Planning for the expanded use of the Lakeview Hammersley geothermal well for district heating to city residences, business and public facilities.
Southwest Lincoln County Water PUD | Planning Resilience | $40,000
Planning to determine appropriate system and energy storage sizing at several district facilities and in-pipe micro-hydroelectric generation at two water treatment facilities including net-meter potential to reduce/minimize water utility costs and provide emergency backup power.
Deschutes County | Planning Resilience | $100,000
Planning for net-metered 500kW solar PV and minimum 100kW energy storage to support well site pumps for potable water filtration and storage system with part-time power diversion to EV chargers.
City of Hood River | Construction Renewable | $500,000
Installation of a net-metered 100kW in-line hydroelectric system to harness wasted water pressure at the City of Hood River's Pressure Reducing Station (PRS) to generate power.
Hood River County | Planning Resilience | $75,000
Planning for 29-70kW net-metered PV solar plus 30-60kW storage system with microgrid controller to provide backup power to Mount Hood Town Hall.
City of St. Helens | Planning Resilience | $94,585
Planning for up to 100kW net-metered solar PV with energy storage support and EV charging capabilities at city's new public safety facility.
Oregon State Police | Planning Renewable | $38,273
Planning for a roof-mounted 200kW net-metered photovoltaic system on the Oregon State Police Southern Command Center with microgrid circuitry to convert the solar power and allow its use directly by the building electrical system.
City of Gates | Planning Renewable | $13,400
Planning for a 64kW net-metered solar PV system installed at the water treatment plant, with a 110kWh battery system primary for power conditioning with short-term backup power capability.
City of Gates | Construction Resilience | $312,852
Construction of a net-meter 61kW solar PV system with ground-mounted and roof-mounted panels with 125kW battery backup system providing power to the Gate water treatment plant.
City of Salem | Construction Renewable | $1,000,000
Installation of an equivalent 1,758kW biogas boiler/co-gen system to maximize available methane gas to generate thermal heat for operational use at the Salem's Willow Lake Water Pollution Control Facility (WLWPCF).
City of Oakridge | Planning Resilience | $30,000
Planning for a 250kW net-metered solar PV system and 20kW battery back-up system at the City of Oakridge Willamette Activity Center.
Phoenix Talent School District | Construction Resilience | $1,000,000
Talent Middle School installation of 103kW net-metered, ground-mounted PV solar with 560kWh of battery storage and microgrid controllers for off-grid operations, including as an emergency shelter.
City of Cascade Locks | Construction Resilience | $436,300
Construction of a 65kW net-metered, roof mounted PV solar with 110kW battery storage installed on City Hall. Backup power would support community lifelines by maintaining city government operations, supply power to the local food bank, help maintain first responder communications, and allow alerts to be shared with the community.
Molalla Rural Fire Protection District #73 | Planning Resilience | $70,939
Planning for up to 25kW of net-metered solar PV and energy storage for rural fire station in Mulino, OR to support continuous operations in emergency or grid outage.
Sherman County | Planning Resilience | $77,500
Planning for a net-metered 100kW solar PV system with 120kW storage system to support facility operations during a power outage with microgrid, demand response/reduction and V2G electric vehicle charging technologies.
Southern Oregon University | Construction Renewable | $1,000,000
Construction of a net-metered 338 kW (DC) solar PV array on elevated parking structures with shading benefit, including installation of eight additional EV charging stations to benefit Southern Oregon University students and the Ashland community.
Springfield Utility Board | Planning Renewable | $100,000
Planning for a 200kW-1MW net-metered PV solar farm on COU property for a community solar project.
Multnomah County | Planning Resilience | $70,000
Planning for net-metered 540kW solar PV system and 250kW energy storage to source power for new library; and operate key building systems and provide community support during grid outages and emergencies.
Sheridan School District 48J | Planning Resilience | $99,900
Planning for a ground-mounted 400kW solar PV system with 100kW battery storage and microgrid system serving a new Sheridan School District career technical center facility that will also serve as community shelter.
Deschutes Public Library | Construction Resilience | $1,000,000
Construction of a 828kW net-metered solar PV system on roof and covered parking of new central library in Bend. A 50kW backup battery storage system is included to provide emergency lighting and the main data room.
Chemeketa Community College, Salem Campus | Planning Resilience | $96,060
Planning for a 250kW battery storage system paired with an existing net-metered 87kW PV system to provide power to a walk-in cooler, vehicle charging stations, and electric tractor charging station. The project will connect to the electric utility Energy Partner programs.
City of Ashland | Planning Renewable | $98,840
Planning for up to a 1MW net-metered solar farm for a low-income community solar program.
City of Pendleton Oregon | Planning Renewable | $49,550
Planning for a roof-mounted 38kW net-metered solar PV system at new city public transit campus.
City of Talent | Construction Resilience | $116,635
Construction of a net-metered 33.6kW solar PV system using three solar tracking stands at two sites in Talent. One site will include 10kW of battery storage with backup power provided to a community center that serves as an emergency operations center.