Oregon Public Purpose Charge Funds Support First Electric School Bus East of the Cascades

Students will be able to enjoy a new kind of ride to school after Bend-LaPine Schools acquired its first all-electric school bus this spring. The electric school bus was also the first bus supported, in part, with Public Purpose Charge funds. The Public Purpose Charge program, administered by the Oregon Department of Energy, is funded through the state’s two largest electric utilities, Portland General Electric and Pacific Power.

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ODOE Now Accepting Applications for Community Heat Pump Deployment Program

An online application portal is now open for eligible entities and Tribes to apply for grant funding to support local heat pump deployment programs. The Oregon Department of Energy’s Community Heat Pump Deployment Program will award funds to selected regional administrators that will offer financial assistance for heat pump installations in the communities they serve.

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February 2023 Newsletter

In this month’s newsletter, ODOE heads to the Capitol for the 2023 Legislative Session, recruits Regional Administrators for a new heat pump deployment program, talks long-duration energy storage and wind turbine recycling, invites Oregonians to a Biennial Energy Report webinar, and more.

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Oregon Department of Energy Seeking Regional Administrators for Community Heat Pump Deployment Program

The Oregon Department of Energy is seeking eligible regional entities to administer the agency’s new Community Heat Pump Deployment Program. The program will allocate grant dollars to eligible entities that will then, as Regional Administrators, provide financial assistance for the purchase and installation of heat pumps and related upgrades in Oregon homes.

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Forging a Path for Long-Duration Energy Storage

Some energy grid planners and utilities have identified a need for energy storage resources that can provide energy to the grid for longer durations. In the Oregon Department of Energy’s 2022 Biennial Energy Report, we dive into what long-duration energy storage might look like, and highlight an Oregon-grown company looking to forge a path for long-duration storage.

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Wind: Renewable, Re-powered, and Recycled

Oregon’s first utility-scale wind facility began operation in 2001 – today, more than a dozen wind facilities are in operation or under construction in the state. As wind facilities begin to age or produce less power, what happens to the materials – wood, fiberglass, and metals – that make up the turbines?

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January 2023 Newsletter

In this month’s newsletter, ODOE begins accepting applications for a second round of grants, highlights the basics about heat pump technology and upcoming programs, welcomes a new Energy Facility Siting Council member, and more.

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OCCRI’s Sixth Climate Assessment Outlines Climate Change Effects on Oregon

On January 4, 2023 the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute released the Sixth Oregon Climate Assessment, a biennial evaluation of recent scientific findings relating to the impacts and risks of climate change in Oregon. ODOE Senior Clean Energy Policy Analyst Amy Schlusser summarizes some of the key findings from the Assessment.

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Heat Pumps on the Rise in 2023

About a quarter of Oregon’s overall energy use comes from homes, from lighting and cooking to heating and cooling. Making the switch to energy efficient appliances and technologies means less energy use, lower energy bills, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and more comfortable 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 big incentive savings on the horizon.

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Oregon Department of Energy Announces New Round of $12 Million in Grant Funding for Renewable Energy and Energy Resilience Projects

The Oregon Department of Energy is now accepting applications for the second round of funding through the agency’s Community Renewable Energy Grant Program. ODOE is making $12 million available to support planning and construction of renewable energy or energy resilience projects for Tribes, public bodies, and consumer-owned utilities.

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