June 2022 Newsletter

ODOE Awarded National State Leadership in Clean Energy Award

The Oregon Department of Energy's Solar + Storage Rebate Program has been awarded a State Leadership in Clean Energy (SLICE) award from the Clean Energy States Alliance. ODOE's program was one of only six state programs recognized at CESA’s national membership meeting held this month in Washington, DC. CESA, a nonprofit coalition of public agencies working together to advance clean energy, established the biennial awards to highlight model programs and projects that accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies and strengthen clean energy markets. ODOE previously won a SLICE Award in 2018 for its Renewable Energy Development Grant Program.

The Solar + Storage Rebate Program stood out to the 2022 SLICE judging panel for its collaborative approach and focus on expanding access to renewable energy to Oregonians who may not otherwise be able to afford the investment in solar, noting that “This program was thoughtfully designed to maximize participation by low-income communities, with impressive results.”

Homeowners are eligible for rebates up to $5,000 for solar and an additional $2,500 for paired energy storage installed together. Oregonians with low or moderate incomes are eligible for higher incentive rates per watt of solar installed. Low-income service providers – such as nonprofits, municipalities, or other organizations serving low-income Oregonians – are eligible for rebates up to $30,000 for solar plus $15,000 for paired storage. At least 25 percent of rebate funds are reserved for low- or moderate-income residential customers and low-income service providers.

The rebate program was established in 2019 with bipartisan support from the Oregon Legislature and an initial $2 million program budget. ODOE’s community partners, like the Oregon Solar + Storage Industries Association and the program’s approved contractors, helped make the program a success — with all funding reserved for rebates within nine months of program launch. In 2021 and 2022 the Legislature allocated an additional $15 million total to continue the popular program. To date, ODOE has reserved funds for more than 1,800 projects in 29 counties.

We're currently accepting rebate reservations from approved contractors – learn more on ODOE’s website.

ODOE Now Recruiting for Grant Program Evaluation Committee

The Oregon Department of Energy is currently seeking community members to serve on our Community Renewable Energy Grant Program Evaluation Committee.

Evaluation committee members will be asked to review applications and make recommendations to ODOE’s Director about which projects should be funded. The time commitment will vary based on the number of applications received, but we expect the process to begin in late July, with recommendations to the Director by early September.

Interested in serving on the evaluation committee? Please fill out our online interest form by 5 p.m. on July 3.

The form will ask basic questions about your background and interests in serving on the committee. Please note we will also ask if you have any conflicts of interest that could prevent participation, such as a relationship with a potential grant applicant. Also, ODOE is exploring our ability to provide financial support to individuals or organizations that may otherwise be unable to participate in the evaluation committee, and the form asks whether you whether you would need financial support to participate.

ODOE is currently offering $12 million in funding through four opportunity announcements, with applications due July 8, 2022. Grants of up to $100,000 will be awarded for planning community renewable energy and community energy resilience projects. Grants of up to $1,000,000 will be available for constructing community renewable and community energy resilience projects. ODOE will make additional grant funding available through 2024, so there may also be future opportunities to serve on the evaluation committee.

Electric Vehicles: Is Oregon's Grid Ready?

About a decade ago, Oregon only had about 500 registered electric vehicles on our roads – today, that number is nearing 50,000. With Oregon’s bold EV adoption goals, including 250,000 registered zero emission vehicles on our roads by 2025, how might that affect Oregon’s electricity grid? Will there be enough power to keep the state moving?

We asked those same question on our blog this month and in our 2020 Biennial Energy Report and 2021 Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report.

Over the next few years, the overall effect of electric vehicles on the grid is expected to be fairly minimal. But as more Oregonians make the switch to EVs, utilities are already working on potential solutions to meet the increased demand. And the good news is that utilities have experience planning to meet rapidly-growing demand, much like adoption of refrigerators back in the 1930s and more smart appliances and devices in recent years. To handle peak demands, the electricity sector has long engaged in multi-year capacity planning to forecast future peak demands on the grid and to identify whether new resources (like new energy-generating facilities) are required to meet those demands. Utilities will consider the potential arrival of new EV charging demand and incorporate it into their resource planning.

Save the Date! ODOE to Hold Public Meeting on 2023-2025 Agency Budget

Every two years, the Oregon Department of Energy submits an Agency Request Budget ahead of the next biennium. ODOE starts with the previous biennium's budget (so our current budget), then adds, removes, or adjusts the budget based on program needs and policy responsibilities.

ODOE will hold a public meeting on Monday, July 25 at 4 p.m. to walk through our budget request, answer questions, and hear feedback.

More information will be available soon – keep an eye on our budget webpage for updates. Before the meeting, get to know how we're funded and the history of ODOE's budgets.

Building a More Energy-Resilient Oregon

Oregonians aren’t likely to forget the extreme weather we experienced in 2021 – from record-setting ice storms in February to record-setting heat waves just a few months later. Not to mention, 2021’s weather came on top of a devastating wildfire season the summer before. In some areas of Oregon, it took weeks to repair power lines and restore electricity to homes and businesses after the ice storms. Following the 2020 Labor Day wildfires, the communities of Detroit and Idanha were without a local gas station for months.

Unfortunately, the effects of climate change are already here, and these extreme weather events are starting to feel more like the norm. As we continue to work toward reducing emissions, it’s also time to adapt to the effects of climate change by building a more resilient energy future for Oregon communities.

Earlier this month, ODOE Director Janine Benner shared her thoughts on building a more energy-resilient Oregon in the Eugene Register-Guard – read more.

Reports from Around the Agency

Join our team! ODOE is recruiting – see openings on our website.
On July 6, ODOE will host its second stakeholder workshop for the Renewable Hydrogen Study required by SB 333 (2021). Initial findings from the study will be presented and stakeholders will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments. Meeting information can be found at the study’s webpage.
In July, ODOE will host two webinars on the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The webinars will provide an overview of the federal funding Oregon expects to receive. We’ll also ask for public input to establish guiding priorities, which will help ODOE assess each funding opportunity and our approach to implementation. Learn more on ODOE’s website.
The Energy Advisory Work Group met on June 28, with continued discussion on June 29 and 30, where ODOE provided updates on our 2023-2025 budget process. We also heard the latest from our work group members. Meeting materials are available on ODOE's website.
On May 26, ODOE Hanford Ecologist Sara Lovtang presented information about the Hanford Site and the Natural Resource Damage Assessment to an undergraduate Environmental Law, Policy, and Economics class at Oregon State University.
On June 14, Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Max Woods and Emergency Preparedness Manager Deanna Henry were in Newport to participate and provide expertise for a Cascadia Subduction Zone emergency drill with local, state, and federal partners.
On June 21, Government Relations Coordinator Christy Splitt and Operations and Policy Analyst James Cogle joined a Spark Northwest webinar on Tribal renewable energy funding and technical assistance opportunities. Christy and James shared information on ODOE's incentive programs with attendees.
On June 29, ODOE Incentives Analyst Clay Deckert joined a Bend Environmental Center discussion on HB 2021. Clay shared information about ODOE's Community Renewable Energy Grant Program, which was created through the bill.
Congratulations are due to a group of Oregon State University students, who placed second out of 17 teams in the U.S. Department of Energy's 2022 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition!
In case you missed it, the Oregon Department of Energy gave several presentations during June Legislative Days. Videos from the committee presentations are available from the House Interim Committee on Environment & Natural Resources on June 1, the Senate Interim Committee on Energy & Environment on June 2, and the Senate Interim Committee on Housing & Development on June 2.
We were excited to see that Oregon Parks & Recreation is partnering with nonprofit Adopt a Charger to bring more electric vehicle charging stations to Oregon State Parks over the next year. At least eight parks will be getting ready to charge. Learn more.
ODOE currently has four incentive programs up and running. In addition to the Community Renewable Energy Grant Program and the Rural & Agricultural Energy Audit Program mentioned above, ODOE also has rebate programs for rooftop solar and solar paired with energy storage, and efficiency incentives for Oregonians who lost homes and businesses in the 2020 wildfires. 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.
The Oregon Legislature assigned ODOE several new studies to complete over the next year. Visit ODOE's website to learn more about the studies – including floating offshore wind, small-scale renewable energy, and renewable hydrogen – and sign up for email updates on study progress, public meetings, and opportunities to weigh in.
The Energy Facility Siting Council, a governor-appointed volunteer council responsible for the review and oversight of large-scale energy facilities, is recruiting potential new members. Contact Todd Cornett, ODOE's Assistant Director for Siting and the Council Secretary, with questions.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Renewable Hydrogen Study Workshop | July 6, 2022 | Via Webinar

Federal Funding (IIJA) Workshops | July 12 & 20, 2022 | Via Webinar

Energy Facility Siting Council | July 22, 2022 | Salem & Webinar

Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | September 13, 2022 | Via Webinar

Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)

Current Rulemakings (click to see details)