Energy Trust Helps Counties Thrive With Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy Projects

Oct 29, 2024 | AOC Business Partner

Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: Energy Trust of Oregon

Working with Energy Trust of Oregon, counties across the state are making strides to achieve their local clean energy goals while reducing operating costs, freeing up funds for core services and becoming more resilient in the face of natural disasters. 

Energy Trust is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people and communities thrive through more affordable clean energy solutions. For more than 20 years, it has helped customers save on their energy bills, reduce carbon emissions and improve local economies. 

Projects completed in 2023 alone will save customers $761 million over the lifetime of the equipment based on expected energy savings and renewable generation. Funded directly by utility customers, Energy Trust serves customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista.

“As they say, when you’ve seen one county, you’ve seen one county. And likewise, energy needs also come in all shapes and sizes,” says Chris Lyons, Energy Trust’s senior manager of government and stakeholder relations. “That’s why we offer a variety of services for city and county governments based on their unique goals, concerns, geography and community needs.” 

For many communities, the first step is energy planning to understand their local energy goals and energy management needs. Energy Trust can support these efforts with resources, community engagement and program design. For instance, in Deschutes County, Energy Trust worked with local organizations to support data collection and research on how other communities approach energy planning. 

To help save energy, Energy Trust provides cash incentives, professional support and recommendations for solutions from adding insulation and upgrading lighting to replacing boilers and more. For new construction projects, it provides early design assistance, energy studies and expertise on how to construct a building with the most efficient technologies and methods, including net-zero energy construction. 

“Whether in new or existing buildings, energy-efficient upgrades can create safer, more comfortable buildings that are also more affordable to operate,” says Lyons. 

For renewable energy projects, Energy Trust provides project development assistance and installation incentives for rooftop solar systems, biopower projects at water resource recovery facilities and in-conduit hydropower projects at irrigation districts that generate clean electricity and deliver long-term savings. Here are some examples: 

• Energy Trust provided early design assistance and other energy-efficient features for a major renovation of the Clatsop County Jail. The county received more than $20,600 in cash incentives for an estimated annual energy cost savings of over $6,900. 
• The City of Redmond worked with Energy Trust to replace the roof on a city warehouse and install new insulation, which qualified for nearly $55,000 in cash incentives, zero out-of-pocket costs and an estimated annual energy cost savings of over $33,800.
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy projects can also help communities mitigate and adapt to the increasing prevalence of climate-related events, including winter storms, wildfires and heat waves. “We help communities identify strategies that work for them, like adding renewable energy and battery storage for backup power, using fire-resistant building practices and installing energy-efficient cooling for extreme heat,” said Lyons. 
• Improvements can help sustain critical infrastructure and core municipal services. That’s the case in Beaverton, where the city worked with Energy Trust to ensure its public safety center—housing its police and emergency management department—is energy resilient and remains operational, even during power outages or emergencies such as an earthquake.

Want to learn how Energy Trust can help your community? Visit our booth at the AOC Annual Conference to connect with members of the Energy Trust team.

See more stories of clean energy solutions at www.energytrust.org.

Building a Coalition of the Willing — 2024 NW Rural Investment Strategy Summit Recap

Oct 29, 2024 | AOC Business Partner

Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: iSector

Oregon’s rural communities face long standing challenges in seizing economic opportunities and maintaining the capacity to manage critical public services. Despite the availability of unprecedented federal, state, and philanthropic resources, many rural cities and counties lack the infrastructure and expertise to navigate complex funding systems and implement vital projects, such as water and wastewater improvements or affordable housing initiatives.

The 2024 NW Rural Investment Strategy Summit, part of a broader initiative to address these gaps, brought together over 450 participants from across Oregon, including leaders from philanthropy, financial institutions, nonprofits, and state and federal agencies. The summit’s goal was clear: to develop a strategy ensuring that historic federal investments not only flow into rural Oregon but also catalyze sustainable, long-term growth in these underserved areas.

One of the key outcomes of this ongoing effort is the creation of the Oregon Rural Investment Strategy Partnership. This partnership, a collaboration between iSector, USDA Rural Development, the Association of Oregon Counties, League of Oregon Cities, foundations, and representatives of Oregon Business, aims to design a co-investment framework that aligns public, private, and philanthropic resources for rural communities. The goal is to enhance local capacity, provide technical assistance, and ensure that communities can access and manage the resources they need to thrive.

A pivotal next step that is under construction is the development of a hub or center for technical expertise and resource coordination. Working with organizations that serve rural Oregon, this could support rural cities and counties by providing access to project managers, public works, and planning professionals to assist with essential infrastructure and community development needs. To further accelerate on-the-ground action, it could also include a Community Leverage Fund which could enable cities and counties to offer incentives for collaborative, multi-sector projects. 

The Summit and these ongoing initiatives underscore the importance of rural communities to Oregon’s economic future. By building the capacity of these regions and fostering collaboration, we can help them seize opportunities that will sustain their resilience and growth for years to come.

To learn more visit https://isector.org/partnerships/rural-investment-strategy-risp/.

For any questions or to connect with us, please email rural@isector.org.