July 2023 Newsletter
ODOE Launches Program to Support Energy Efficient Heat Pumps in Rental Homes
The Oregon Department of Energy is now accepting incentive reservations through 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 receive incentives for installing energy efficient heat pumps and related electrical upgrades.
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).
Oregonians interested in installing energy efficient heat pumps in rental properties they own should contact an approved program contractor, who will be able to reserve rebates on behalf of their customers. After completing installation, the contractor will submit project completion information to receive the rebate from the agency. The full amount of the savings must be passed on to the customer.
Rebate amounts vary based on the project, and higher incentives are available for homes with tenants who have low or moderate incomes. 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 grant is available. For those who are not low- or moderate-income, up to $2,000 is available.
More information and a list of approved contractors is available on ODOE’s website. The agency also continues to recruit contractors statewide to broaden the reach of the program to as many communities as possible. Interested contractors can register online.
Oregon Solar + Storage Program to Continue at ODOE
The Oregon Department of Energy’s popular Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program will continue providing rebates for solar or solar and paired energy storage systems after an additional $10 million investment by the Oregon Legislature.
The program, which provides rebates to homeowners and organizations that serve Oregonians with low incomes, first launched in January 2020. The additional $10 million investment will continue supporting even more solar and storage projects. To date, the program has made funding commitments (either as rebates or reservations for rebates) to more than 4,600 projects, representing over $14 million in rebates. Those rebates leveraged $166 million in total project costs – projects that have a combined installed capacity of 60,000 kilowatts (or 60 megawatts) of solar.
Homeowners are eligible for rebates up to $5,000 for solar and an additional $2,500 for paired energy storage installed together. Low-income service providers – such as nonprofits, municipalities, or other organizations serving low-income Oregonians – are eligible for up to $30,000 for solar plus $15,000 for paired storage. Rebates are issued to ODOE-approved contractors, who pass the full amount of the rebate on as savings to their customers.
The program has a special focus on expanding access to renewable energy to Oregonians who may not otherwise be able to afford the investment in solar. At least 25 percent of rebate funds each year will be reserved for low- or moderate-income residential customers and low-income service providers.
ODOE is now accepting rebate reservations from approved contractors. Oregonians can also learn more about program eligibility and find a list of approved contractors on ODOE’s website.
ODOE's 2023 Legislative Report Features Clean Energy Moves
As we mentioned in last month's newsletter, the 2023 Legislative Session wrapped up on June 25 and was, in some ways, a return to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic. Once again, committee meetings were in person at the Capitol, and the building was bustling with lobbyists, staff, and members of the public after relative quiet for the last three sessions. There were also a lot of new faces. Twenty-two new legislators experienced their first session, joining 11 who were new a year ago. It was the first long legislative session for over one-third of the legislators. It wasn’t without its challenges, of course, with the legislature unable to achieve quorum to vote on bills for nearly six weeks.
The 2023 session followed energy-packed 2021 and 2022 sessions. Conventional wisdom at the Capitol says that if there was recent major legislation on an issue, it is quieter on that topic the next time around. But with the urgency of climate change clear, every session seems to be an energy session now. Legislators on both sides of the aisle are interested in the clean energy transition and dealing with the effects of climate change, such as increasingly severe wildfire and drought. Dive into the details about the many energy-related bills in ODOE’s new 2023 legislative report.
We’re excited to hit the ground running to implement this new work. You can stay tuned on our progress by signing up for email updates for our financial programs, various studies, federal funding progress, and more. We’ll also share regular updates on our blog and right here in our monthly newsletter.
Historic Hanford Contamination is Worse than Expected: Oregon Experts Weigh In
In late June, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that radioactive contamination beneath a building at the Hanford Nuclear Site is worse than originally thought.
The Hanford 324 Building is located on the south end of Hanford – in what’s known as the 300 Area – just 1,000 feet from the Columbia River. The US DOE has known about one spill under the building for over a decade, and has been working on a plan for cleanup of the area while also making progress in other areas of Hanford since production turned to cleanup at the site in the 1980s. The agency knew the contamination in the soil was serious, but sampling this spring found unexpected contamination deeper in the soil and outside the previously known spill area.
So what does that mean? Oregon Department of Energy Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Maxwell Woods and Hanford Hydrogeologist Tom Sicilia weigh in on our blog this month.
Making Community Connections in Eastern Oregon
In May, the Oregon Department of Energy welcomed Sarah Moehrke to the team as a Community Navigator for the agency. The Oregon Legislature authorized and funded her role and a new Community Navigation program at ODOE this year through HB 3630 – a bill that was introduced in response to the significant federal funding coming from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, in addition to other state energy programs.
Sarah’s role is to help communities – who may not have the built-in staff or budget – get connected to programs and funding that are available to them. ODOE hopes to help communities, Tribal governments, local governments, and community organizations access more federal and state energy and climate opportunities, reach their goals, and build the projects that they envision to create a more sustainable future.
This month, Sarah joined ODOE Director Janine Benner, Associate Director for Strategic Engagement Ruchi Sadhir, and ODOE RARE Member Angela Singleton for meetings and discussions with Eastern Oregon communities to begin making important connections. Read more from Sarah in her own words on our blog.
Reports from Around the Agency
Join our team! We are hiring for several positions. Keep an eye on ODOE's website for open recruitments and please share with your networks.
Tell us how we're doing! The Oregon Department of Energy is surveying our customers (including you!) to gather feedback on our services and programs. You may have received an email or emails directly from us with survey links for specific programs. We are also looking for general feedback, so please consider weighing in online by August 18!
We’re pleased to report that ODOE was awarded about $20 million in funding for grid resilience activities under the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act on June 30. The program narrative, as accepted with the application to the U.S. DOE, is available online. As the state is required to pass 95% of this funding through to eligible entities, ODOE is in the process of developing the criteria for this application now. The intent is to fund projects that will have the greatest community benefits while addressing the most pressing grid resilience needs. ODOE will share details about the subgrant application in the coming months. See the U.S. DOE’s grid resilience fact sheet for Oregon for more information.
On July 20, ODOE Grants Officer Emily Salmeri and Senior Policy Analyst Rob Del Mar joined Pacific Power's Community Benefits and Impacts Advisory Group to discuss how ODOE is working to include equity and community benefits in our federal- and state-funded programs.
At its July meeting, the Energy Facility Siting Council concluded its contested case proceeding and approved a site certificate for the Nolin Hills Wind Power Project. With that approval, Nolin Hills became the largest approved renewable energy facility under EFSC jurisdiction to date. The project, which will be located in Umatilla County, will include up to 600 MW of wind and solar power, plus battery storage.
Many thanks to the 100+ community members who joined ODOE and Energy Facility Siting Council members for an information meeting on July 25 for the proposed Muddy Creek Energy Park. The proposed facility would be the first state-jurisdiction solar facility in the Willamette Valley if approved. Learn more.
This month, ODOE Schools Program members Christie Sphoon and Tracy Richardson hosted an information booth about ODOE schools-related programs at the 2023 Oregon Association of School Business Officials' annual summer conference.
We were excited to see the U.S. Department of Energy’s competitive Renew America’s Schools grant announce that it will award North Wasco County School District 21's Mosier Community School over $850,000 to implement energy upgrades that will lower utilities costs, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments.
On July 21, NorthernGrid, the regional transmission planning entity for the Pacific Northwest, published its final report examining the potential transmission needs and regional effects of integrating 3 GW of offshore wind at two points of interconnection in Southern Oregon. This study was jointly requested by ODOE and the Oregon Public Utility Commission in March 2022. See Northern Grid’s final report for more information.
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 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
Federal Funding: Solar For All Overview | August 8, 2023 | Via Webinar
Oregon Global Warming Commission | August 11, 2023 | Via Webinar
Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | August 15, 2023 | Via Webinar
Energy Facility Siting Council | August 24-25, 2023 | LaPine and Via Webinar
Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)
Current Rulemakings (click to see details)