Getting Grounded: Powering Oregon With the Sun
Solar energy harnesses the sun’s rays to provide electricity, space and water heating, and more.
Solar was originally used for challenging locations for traditional power lines, but is now seen on housing, commercial buildings, and in larger ground-mounted installations (also known as arrays) throughout the state.
On this episode of Getting Grounded, our energy fundamentals series of mini episodes, we are joined by Rob Del Mar, ODOE senior policy analyst. He discusses some benefits of solar power, such as the opportunity to provide backup power for your home, and some challenges, including the upfront cost of the equipment. However, once you buy the equipment, the fuel to power your home is free, courtesy of the sun.
The amount of solar energy powering Oregon is increasing. Using the Electricity Resource Mix dashboard discussed in our first Getting Grounded episode, we can see the solar is providing an increasing amount of electricity for the state from just 1.46 percent in 2019 to 3.52 percent in 2023.
Twenty years ago, solar-generated energy was scarce in the Pacific Northwest. Use ODOE’s solar dashboard to see the amount of solar – or photovoltaic – projects in Oregon change over time. From just three projects represented by dots on the map in 1986, it transforms to a colorful map of residential, commercial and utility solar projects throughout the state in 2022.
Additional resources
· ODOE's Solar for All program
· Energy Hub for Oregon incentives
· Smart shopping tips for solar
· Meeting the energy facilities siting standards
Questions or topic suggestions? Write us at askenergy@oregon.gov