Oregon Department of Energy Awarded Federal Grant to Support Energy Auditor Workforce
The Oregon Department of Energy has been awarded nearly $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to support residential energy auditor training in the state. The competitive grant was made possible by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Oregon was one of just 12 states awarded residential audit funds from the Energy Auditor Training Grant Program. The program supports states in implementing current and standardized education and training requirements for residential energy auditors – experts who review homes to analyze energy use and efficiency and identify potential improvements to make homes more comfortable and reduce energy costs. U.S. DOE’s program is focused on closing gaps in job access and improving opportunities for underrepresented groups in the workforce.
Oregon’s program will support extensive residential energy auditor programming for 50 trainees, with a goal to ensure at least 80 percent of participants pass energy auditor credentials and achieve full employment opportunities at the end of their training. Meeting the goal would support completion of up to 14,400 residential energy audits per year by newly skilled and credentialed professionals. The agency will partner with nonprofit Earth Advantage to implement the program.
The training program is designed to advance equity, environmental, and energy justice priorities in support of federal Justice40 Initiative goals to deliver benefits to disadvantaged communities. ODOE’s program will support at least 20 trainees from disadvantaged communities but has a target that 100 percent of trainees either come from or intend to serve disadvantaged communities in their work.
“Following significant federal investments in Oregon for programs like home energy rebates, our state will need to bolster our clean energy workforce to support those programs,” said ODOE Director Janine Benner. “This additional federal award will ensure the state has the skilled experts available to serve Oregon households looking to make energy improvements.”
Oregon has been awarded multiple federal grants in the last year. Learn more about ODOE’s efforts and available and forthcoming programs on ODOE’s website.