New solar incentives expand access for income-qualified customers
Installing rooftop solar can be a big investment. Homeowners with low or moderate incomes often benefit the most from generating their own clean energy, but the upfront costs of installing solar panels can be a dealbreaker.
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With classrooms empty, schools make energy upgrades during pandemic
Remote learning in 2020 left many classrooms empty. The silver lining? Many schools and colleges seized the opportunity to make clean energy upgrades while buildings were unoccupied, leveraging state bonds and additional incentives from Oregon Department of Energy.
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Serving more customers through community partnerships
The pandemic hit some Oregonians harder than others, exacerbating the existing challenges of communities of color, families with low incomes and rural areas. That’s why Energy Trust partnered with nonprofits and community agencies in 2020 to bring immediate energy benefits to customers most in need.
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Residents find comfort, cost savings in new manufactured homes
Oregonians living in older manufactured homes spend 70% more on energy per square foot than those living in houses, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. These higher energy costs disproportionately affect residents with lower incomes.
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Nonprofit accelerates energy investment in rural community
With 8,000 residents, South Central Oregon’s Lake County is more remote than many of Oregon’s rural communities, with few local contractors to support people and businesses interested in clean energy upgrades.
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City of Hillsboro Water Department, Hillsboro Hydroelectric project generates clean energy and $11,000 in annual savings
Hillsboro is pioneering new technology within existing infrastructure —an innovative, 30-kilowatt micro-hydropower project installed in the municipal water system—to generate clean, renewable energy. The project also reduces costs, builds community resilience and keeps energy dollars local.
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