June 2023 Newsletter
ODOE Grant Program Supports Renewable Energy and Energy Resilience Development Across the State
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 will also support renewable energy or 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 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. Toward the end of the 2023 Legislative Session, the program was allocated an additional $20 million to support future grant rounds.
Now Seeking Eligible Contractors for New Rental Home Heat Pump Program
The Oregon Department of Energy is now registering eligible contractors to participate in the agency’s new Oregon Rental Home Heat Pump Program. Under this new program, owners of rental homes and manufactured dwellings or recreational vehicles in a rented space may qualify for a rebate for installing an eligible heat pump.
The heat pump program was established at ODOE by the Oregon Legislature (SB 1536) following the 2021 heat dome event, during which at least 100 Oregonians died of heat-related illness – often in their own homes. Heat pumps, which move heat rather than create it, are becoming more popular in Oregon homes thanks to their efficient heating and cooling, lower energy use, and potential incentive savings (including a federal tax credit).
Approved program contractors will be able to reserve rebates on behalf of their customers. After completing installation, the contractor will receive the rebate from the agency and the full amount of the savings must be passed on to the customer.
Approved contractors must meet program eligibility guidelines, including holding the appropriate license, bond, insurance, or permit; having an active license with the Construction Contractors Board; and having no Occupational Safety and Health Division violations for at least the past two years, among other requirements. Interested Oregon contractors can register online to join the approved list.
Rebate amounts will vary based on the project. For rental homes, rebates are available between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the efficiency of the heat pump and the income level of the tenants. For a manufactured home or recreational vehicle renting space in a manufactured home or RV park, rebates are available between $2,000 and $7,000 depending on heat pump efficiency and income level. Grants are also available for associated upgrades alongside the heat pumps, such as electrical wiring. For homes where tenants meet low- or moderate-income eligibility, up to a $4,000 rebate is available. For those who are not low- or moderate-income, up to $2,000 is available.
ODOE will announce in early summer when the program is fully open and accepting heat pump incentive reservations from approved contractors. Additional information is available on ODOE’s website.
2023 Legislative Session Wraps Up with Progress on Energy and Climate
The 2023 Legislative Session wrapped up on Sunday, June 25. Oregon’s leaders approved many bills in their final weekend, including some that will help advance the clean energy transition in Oregon and that will bring new work to our agency. Those bills now head to the Governor's desk.
Across four bills, the Oregon Department of Energy will add several new programs and obligations – and over time, about two dozen new staff to support that work. This will be a significant increase in our staff, after a similar scale of growth two years ago. These new programs and obligations will help us meet our mission to help Oregonians make informed decisions and maintain a resilient and affordable energy system. Most of this new programming is expected to be paid for by state general fund dollars and federal funds:
A “kick start” to work on federal funding we expect from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This includes staffing to support home energy incentive programs, grid resilience, and industry education about new energy efficiency programs.
A state energy strategy that will evaluate trade-offs and consider pathways to meet Oregon's energy and climate objectives. This strategy can then inform policies and investments.
A new building performance standard program that will gather energy usage data about the state’s largest buildings and then work with building owners to reduce emissions.
A major update to the Oregon Global Warming Commission – soon to be called the Oregon Climate Action Commission – with new members, new reporting requirements, and new objectives and funding for climate solutions on natural and working lands.
A grant program to support energy resilience planning for all 36 counties.
A new biennial report on the state’s progress toward newly established heat pump installation targets.
Support for a Community Navigator Program, which will help less-resourced communities access funding for energy projects and capacity.
Staff positions that will support both new and existing work in addition to anticipated work related to federal funding. These positions reflect the agency’s growth and also our commitment – shared with Governor Kotek – to providing quality customer service.
We are also very excited to report that all of our existing incentive programs will continue, with new investments in the Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program ($10 million) and the Community Renewable Energy Grant Program ($20 million).
As we have for many years, the agency will publish a 2023 Legislative Session report this summer, breaking down the highest profile energy bills and digging in with more detail on the list above.
Energy Equity for Renters
Rental homes are typically less energy efficient than owner-occupied homes, and renters usually can’t make significant energy efficiency improvements – such as installing high-efficiency appliances, new windows, or improved insulation – because they don’t own the property. This means renters often use more energy for heating and cooling, leading to higher energy bills and an increased likelihood of being energy burdened (paying more than 6 percent of household income on energy).
Energy efficiency doesn’t just mean energy savings. In the Oregon Department of Energy’s 2022 Biennial Energy Report, we dive into the many other co-benefits of energy efficiency, including supporting energy jobs, contributing to decarbonization and a cleaner energy future, and strengthening reliability and resilience of the energy system, among many others.
As communities renew focus on improving energy efficiency, it’s important to ensure we don’t leave renters behind.
The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, a nonprofit coalition of public agencies working together to advance clean energy, has an Energy Equity for Renters initiative to encourage local governments to support efforts to improve rental homes. ACEEE selected five local governments in 2022, including the City of Portland, to provide no-cost technical assistance to develop policies and program to improve energy efficiency in rental homes while preserving affordability.
In 2021, ACEEE also published an online guide for local governments that outlines actions that can reduce energy, including analyzing data to better understand renters’ housing and energy affordability needs; engaging with the community to determine needs, particularly among historically underserved groups; developing policies that take other issues into consideration, like overall goals, resources, and community relationships; and developing partnerships to effectively implement potential energy efficiency and housing initiatives.
Learn more about opportunities for renters on ODOE's blog this month.
Grounded Podcast: Oregon Climate Action Roadmap to 2030
On the latest Grounded podcast episode, host Erica Hertzsch is joined by the Oregon Global Warming Commission’s Chair, Cathy Macdonald, and ODOE’s Senior Climate Policy Analyst, Zach Baker.
They dive into three important reports the Commission published earlier this year: an Oregon Climate Action Roadmap to 2030, a companion "TIGHGER" Project Report, and the Commission’s usual biennial 2023 Report to the Legislature.
The Commission typically issues a report to the Legislature every two years that includes an update on progress toward achieving Oregon’s greenhouse gas reduction goals and recommendations for making progress. This year, the Commission also provided a new Oregon Climate Action Roadmap to 2030. The Roadmap includes extensive recommendations to inform state climate action, which were developed using an analysis of data and pathways as part of the Transformational Integrated Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Project (AKA TIGHGER).
Based on the best available science, the reports considered what it would take to accelerate achievement of Oregon’s existing 2035 goal to instead reach it by 2030. This is a fascinating conversation with two of Oregon’s hardest working climate specialists — listen in on your favorite podcast app or on our 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 developed a new spreadsheet to track energy-related federal funding opportunities through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Learn more on our blog.
Earlier this month, several of ODOE's team members joined the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians 2023 NW Tribal Clean Energy Summit. ODOE was proud to sponsor the summit, which brought people together to talk about the cultural, economic, and social challenges of implementing clean energy projects in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more on our blog.
We were excited to see Oregon rank in the top 10 states in the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy's State Transportation Electrification Scorecard. The scorecard evaluates states’ electric vehicle policies and identifies which states are taking steps to reduce barriers to EV adoption and areas where progress is needed.
We were also pleased to see North Wasco County School District 21 in Mosier has been selected for the Renew America's Schools federal grant program. The competitive awards support the implementation of energy improvements in K-12 schools. Learn more.
As we noted above, ODOE is now accepting registrations for contractors to participate in the Oregon Rental Home Heat Pump Program. We held a webinar on June 28 to walk through the program and online rebate system. A recording is available for those who couldn't make it.
On June 6, ODOE Radioactive Waste Remediation Specialist Matt Hendrickson spoke on behalf of Oregon at a National Academies meeting in Richland, WA regarding a report on supplemental low-activity waste treatment alternatives at the Hanford Nuclear Site. Learn more about ODOE's Hanford work on our website.
On June 12, ODOE Director Janine Benner presented at the National Association of State Energy Officials Western Regional Meeting in Boise. Janine presented on the federal Justice40 initiative and Energy Security Planning. Janine was joined at the conference by Energy Efficiency and Conservation Manager Andy Cameron and Federal Grants Officer Jen Senner.
On June 14, Energy Analyst Evan Elias presented on all things electric vehicles to Salem Environmental Education, a local organization focused on providing environmental education to all ages. You can watch a recording of Evan's presentation online.
On June 16, Director Benner presented to the University of Oregon's Environment Initiative on federal funding opportunities coming to Oregon thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Watch her presentation online.
On June 21, ODOE Energy Specialist Christie Sphoon hosted an information booth at the Oregon Pupil Transportation Association Conference in Bend.
ODOE Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Max Woods and Hydrogeologist Tom Sicilia traveled to Lake County for an annual inspection of a former uranium processing mill disposal site. Learn more about the history of the site and ODOE’s involvement.
We were excited to see that two Oregon-based projects were selected to receive federal funding to launch training programs that support the solar energy workforce. In Portland, Worksystems will receive $1 million to create training and replacement resources for diverse solar and related occupation jobseekers. In Central Point, the Crater Lake Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Center will receive $1.5 million to develop a new union-based electrician pre-apprenticeship course for high school students in underserved rural and tribal communities.
As part of its ongoing Integrated Resource Planning work, the Eugene Water and Electric Board released a new analysis showing the utility could need additional low-carbon, on-demand electricity in the years ahead. Learn more on EWEB's website.
Our friends at the Oregon Department of Transportation have a new rebate program for community electric vehicle chargers. The program will lower the cost of buying, installing, and maintaining EV charging stations at multifamily homes and publicly accessible parking areas throughout the state. 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, 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 also working on launching two new heat pump programs 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
Community Renewable Energy Grant Program Advisory Committee | July 13, 2023 | Via Webinar
Energy Facility Siting Council | July 17-19, 2023 | Pendleton, Baker City, and Via Webinar
Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | August 15, 2023 | Via Webinar
Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)
Current Rulemakings (click to see details)