Working to Build a Bright Future

Energy Trust is dedicated to helping 2 million utility customers in Oregon and Southwest Washington save energy and benefit from renewable power.

We provide comprehensive energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, including support for projects that benefit customers with low incomes and projects that help keep the grid reliable. Our success is measured in kilowatt hours of electricity saved or produced with renewable energy, therms of natural gas saved and efficient and effective delivery of services to utility customers.

Purpose

We help customers and communities reduce costs and realize additional benefits by saving energy and benefiting from renewable resources.

As an independent, customer-focused nonprofit, staying true to this purpose has earned us credibility with customers, stakeholders and the energy industry.

Whether a small home improvement project or a large capital investment for a business, we help customers move along the path to cheaper, cleaner energy. Customers’ energy-saving and renewable power projects put money back into their pockets and grow Oregon’s clean energy economy.

See our results and benefits >

An Innovative Structure

We are organized to serve customers with services in four major market sectors: residential, commercial/public, industrial/agricultural and renewable energy. Program management contractors, program delivery contractors and other service providers deliver the majority of our programs. This allows us to leverage outside expertise, and stay nimble—ready to respond when customers are ready to invest.

Many services are delivered to customers by more than 1,600 independent Oregon and Southwest Washington businesses as trade ally contractors and program allies.

We coordinate our services with the utilities of our funding customers: Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista. Read more about our affiliated utilities > 

Accountable and Transparent

We are guided by a volunteer board of directors and three advisory councils, and are overseen by the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC).

• Every dollar received and invested is accounted for in monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements.
• A portion of projects are evaluated by a third party to ensure energy savings and generation occurred at the level we expected.
• Each kilowatt hour and therm acquired is reported in quarterly and annual reports.
• Public board meetings include discussion and approval of strategic plans, annual budgets, action plans, and contracts.

Through our grant agreement with the OPUC, we operate to achieve annual minimum performance measures, report quarterly and annually on progress to annual and five-year goals and contract for an independent management audit every five years.