January 2025 Newsletter
2024 by the Numbers
As we welcomed a new year, ODOE reflected on 2024 through our Year in Review, where we shared important milestones and exciting updates from the past year.
We also like to look back at some of our specific programs by the numbers, including our incentive programs. Our new 2024 By the Numbers shows an exciting year of serving Oregon homeowners, renters, businesses, Tribes, and other organizations. We issued about $12.4 million in rebates and grants through our Oregon Rental Home Heat Pump Program, and reserved $3.5 million in Oregon Solar + Storage Rebates for more than 1,000 projects across the state, including six organizations that serve low- and moderate-income Oregonians. We awarded 17 construction grants and 17 planning grants totaling $17.5 million through our Community Renewable Energy Grant Program. More than 140 wildfire survivors received rebates for rebuilding their properties with energy efficiency in mind.
See more of our 2024 By the Numbers online, and learn more about our available incentive programs on ODOE's website.
ODOE Programs Support State Energy Workforce
In December, the Oregon Department of Energy announced two exciting energy workforce efforts.
The Oregon Department of Energy launched a new $2 million grant program to support training for Oregon’s energy workforce. Grant funding will support professional training programs for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; home energy auditing and modeling; contractor business development; and home energy efficiency upgrades. Applications were due earlier this month and ODOE expects to award grants between $150,000 and $400,000 to individual organizations through a competitive grant review process. The program was developed following the passage of HB 3409 by the Oregon Legislature in 2023; the bill recognized the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by accelerating the installation of heat pumps and other energy efficient appliances in Oregon homes. Technical assistance, education, and training support will build capacity among developers, builders, community-based organizations, and others to bolster Oregon’s available workforce. Learn more on ODOE's blog.
ODOE also announced a new $1.7 million federal award 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.
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. Learn more on ODOE's blog.
Solar: Shop Smart
Solar power is a great way to invest in clean, renewable energy; strengthen resilience in the event of a power outage (pair it with battery storage!); reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and lower electricity bills.
Oregon has experienced a solar boom over the last decade – check out the Oregon Department of Energy’s solar dashboard to see its growth over the years. As more Oregonians have turned to solar, the price to install a new system has significantly decreased. In 1999, a residential solar system in Oregon cost about $16.53 per watt to install. As of 2021, that cost had dropped to about $3.66 per watt.
Federal, state, and local incentives and rebates have helped bolster solar adoption in Oregon homes – from the federal tax credit to incentives from the Oregon Department of Energy and Energy Trust of Oregon. Eligible homeowners can stack incentives from different programs to save even more.
Thinking about adding solar to your home or business? Be sure to shop smart as you consider your options. Many social media users, online news readers, and other web surfers have likely seen advertisements offering “free solar in your area!” Some ads even imply it’s a state government program offering free rooftop panels (this is not the case). Unfortunately, you know what they say – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
ODOE urges Oregonians to carefully read all terms and conditions before deciding on a solar program or installer. Your experience should be easy and transparent – with no surprises – with the right company. Consider getting bids from two or three different contractors before signing a contract. Request that each proposal include the total system cost, including all dealer fees and financing costs, as well as the size of the proposed system in watts. Divide the cost by the system size to get each bid in terms of dollars per watt, which can be compared between contractors.
The good news is that existing and new programs will continue to lower the cost of solar for Oregon homes. While ODOE’s Solar + Storage Rebate Program is currently out of funding, the agency hopes to reopen applications to low-income participants thanks to a federal Solar for All investment. The federal tax credit remains available, and customers of Portland General Electric and Pacific Power can contact Energy Trust of Oregon to see their options.
ODOE at 50
In case you missed it in our Year in Review newsletter, 2025 marks the Oregon Department of Energy's 50th year serving Oregon!
In 1975, the Oregon Legislature created the Oregon Department of Energy following the oil crisis of the early 1970s. The statute creating the agency noted that continued growth and demand for non-renewable energy poses a serious and immediate – and future – problem. “It is essential that future generations not be left a legacy of vanished or depleted resources, resulting in massive environmental, social, and financial impact," reads the statute. It also declared a goal that ODOE promote the efficient use of energy resources and develop permanent energy resources – a goal that continues today as ODOE works to develop a new state energy strategy and Oregon prepares for new electricity needs and load growth.
Dive into the history of ODOE and energy in the state in our interactive energy history timeline. We hope Oregonians will join us in celebrating with us as we also look forward to the next 50. We have some activities in mind for the year, so keep an eye on this newsletter for more!
2025 Legislative Session in Full Swing
January 21 was the official start of the 2025 legislative session, and ODOE was pleased to kick things off with a presentation to the House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment to provide an overview of our agency. ODOE looks forward to presenting soon on our 2024 Biennial Energy Report, as well as an overview of our 2025-2027 agency budget. Mark your calendars for ODOE's budget presentation to the Ways and Means Committee Natural Resources Subcommittee, tentatively scheduled for February 10-11.
Learn more about ODOE's 2025 legislative priorities on our website.
ODOE to Host February 19 Webinar on 2024 Biennial Energy Report
The Oregon Department of Energy published its newest Biennial Energy Report in November. It's full of interesting energy data and analysis, energy resource and technology reviews, foundational "Energy 101s" on emerging and important topics, and more.
Join us February 19 at 3:30 p.m. for an informational webinar as we walk through the report, share highlights, and answer your burning energy questions. Find relevant links and log-in information on ODOE's website. We hope to see you there!
Reports from Around the Agency
Join our team! Check out open recruitments on our website and please share with your networks.
Is the sky blue where you are? ODOE is expanding its presence on social media and can now be found on the BlueSky app. See links to follow all our social media channels on our website. You can also find links to our agency calendar and our email sign-up list to keep in touch.
Happening today! ODOE is hosting an information session to share modeling results for the Oregon Energy Strategy project. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. at OMSI in Portland (as well as a virtual option online). Get details on our blog.
More Oregon Energy Strategy meetings are coming soon, including meetings with Policy Working Groups and the Advisory Committee. Catch up on the project and see ways to get involved on ODOE's website.
As 2024 came to a close, so did ODOE's 2021-2024 Strategic Plan. The plan provided important clarity and focus for our agency, including an updated mission and the objectives we worked on to deliver on that mission. Check out our final strategic plan report to learn more about the process and progress we made. ODOE will work to develop a new strategic plan in 2025.
ODOE's Rural & Agricultural Energy Assistance Program team attended the Northwest Ag Show to share information about the program and other available resources to help rural small businesses and agricultural producers save money on energy-saving projects. Learn more about the program and check out this fun success story from our friends at Energy Trust of Oregon.
As Oregon looks toward its clean energy future, more solar projects are coming through the Energy Facility Siting Council pipeline. The team appreciated an opportunity to connect with Oregonian reporter Gosia Wozniacka over the last several weeks to talk more about the siting process, and specifically solar on Oregon farmland for her in-depth report this month. ODOE Senior Siting Policy Analyst Sarah Esterson also joined Gosia for a Beat Check podcast episode on the topic. Oregonians are encouraged to get involved in the public process. Learn more on our website and on our blog.
In addition to our 2024 By the Numbers shared above, ODOE also submitted several reports to the Legislature ahead of the 2025 session start. Check out our website to learn more about how our programs are serving Oregonians across the state.
ODOE Radioactive Waste Remediation Specialist Matt Hendrickson has been appointed as the Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) representative on the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials Radiation Task Force.
The Oregon Department of Energy is collaborating with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on a pilot project to evaluate risks to petroleum fuel infrastructure, distribution, and supply chains and compounding effects from transportation trends. Learn more.
We were excited to see from our friends at the Oregon Department of Transportation that Oregon's EV drivers can look forward to several repaired and upgraded public fast EV charging stations along U.S. 101, Interstates 84 and 5, and in the Portland area thanks to a federal grant program.
Did you know ODOE's Energy Facility Siting Team is currently reviewing more than 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
Oregon Climate Action Commission | February 14, 2025 | Via Webinar
2024 Biennial Energy Report Info Webinar | February 19, 2025 | Via Webinar
Oregon Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | March 12, 2025 | Via Webinar
Energy Facility Siting Council | March 20-21, 2025 | TBD and Via Webinar
Oregon Energy Strategy Meetings | Advisory & Working Groups | Via Webinar
Current Rulemakings (click to see details)
Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)
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