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PGE leads nation in renewable power customers

Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For the second straight year, Portland General Electric Co. led the nation in having more renewable power customers than any other utility.

The Portland-based electric utility (NYSE: POR) ended 2010 with 78,000 business and residential customers who buy renewable power, or 12.6 percent of all eligible customers, far surpassing the national average of 2 percent participation, according to rankings released Monday by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

PGE also holds the laboratory's top ranking for selling more renewable power to residential customers than any other utility in the nation and was second for the total amount of renewable energy sales to residential and commercial customers combined.

DOE ranks PGE No. 1 in U.S. for number of renewable power customers

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) has more renewable power customers than any other utility in the United States. That's according to the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which today released its annual rankings of the nation's top utility green pricing programs.�

At the end of 2009, PGE had nearly 73,000 business and residential renewable customers, or 10.2 percent of its eligible customers, enrolled in a PGE renewable power program, which is well over the national average of 2 percent participation rate for other utilities.

This marks the first time PGE has received NREL's No. 1 ranking for number of business and residential renewable power customers. PGE also continues to hold NREL's top spot for selling more renewable power to residential customers than any other utility in the United States.

"Oregon is gaining a reputation as a leader in renewable energy resources, and PGE customers are pointing the way," said Carol Dillin, vice president, customers and economic development, PGE.

"They're making a conscious effort to reduce their environmental impact in their homes and businesses, and PGE is working to make it easier for them by providing a variety of renewable power options," Dillin added.

"This elevates Oregon's status as a leader in sustainability," said Mark Long, director of the Oregon Department of Energy.� "We want to thank everyone who has invested not only in renewable energy, but in Oregon's future."

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Solar company chooses Gresham

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Solexant will hire 170 workers, plans to grow to 1,000

Gresham's extensive efforts to attract green-energy companies are paying off in a big way. On Tuesday, officials from the city and the state of Oregon will announce that California-based Solexant will build a manufacturing plant in Gresham, creating what is expected to be an initial work force of 170 employees.

The number of jobs is predicted to increase to 1,000 over a period of years, as Solexant grows with the rapidly expanding solar industry.

Solexant manufactures thin-film solar cells, and the company says its process dramatically increases solar efficiency and lowers manufacturing costs.

Gresham and state officials have been negotiating with the company for less than a year, trying to land the facility for Gresham. The announcement, set for 2:15 p.m. Tuesday at Gresham City Hall, will mark the latest - and the largest - in a series of solar-related plant sitings for East Multnomah County.

Solexant is expected to receive incentives for locating in Gresham, including a targeted state loan and a state-sponsored energy tax credit.

Ford deems Portland electric vehicle-ready

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Ford named Portland among its top 25 most electric vehicle-ready cities Wednesday, praising the region's cooperation, utility support and streamlined permitting.

In November, Ford officially named Portland one of the launch cities for its all-electric Ford Focus, due out later this year.

Other of Ford's EV-ready cities include Seattle, Denver, San Francisco and Sacramento, along with many of the U.S. major metro areas such as New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas. Ford didn't rank its list by relative readiness, but Mike Tinskey, manager of vehicle electrification and infrastructure, said Portland was near the top of the list.

"Portland is most progressive in its actions and what other cities are doing is replicating what Portland is doing," Tinskey said.

Ford works closely with Portland General Electric, having signed a formal memorandum of understanding to work on electric vehicle infrastructure last year.

Specifically, Tinskey praised Oregon's minor label program, which allows for streamlined and batch permitting of electric vehicle charging stations.

"That's a model that other states are looking at," Tinskey said.

Other factors highlighted by Ford include the City of Portland's approval of a comprehensive strategy for electric vehicle adoption and the active participation of PGE on infrastructure for EVs.

Tinksey said all-electric Ford Focus cars should start arriving in Portland in December.

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Leaf and Prius stomp the Volt on greenest car list

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Chevrolet Volt didn't rank as one of the top-ten "greenest" cars in America, coming at no. 12, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's annual list. The fully electric Nissan Leaf ranked second among all 2011 model year cars on the same list. First place went to the compressed natural gas powered Honda Civic GX.

The 2011 Chevy Volt ranked 12th in ACEEE's list. Vehicles are ranked according to a "Green Score," factoring fuel economy and emissions, including emissions from electric power plants. The relative impact of a vehicle's manufacture and disposal, based on the car's weight, was also considered.

The top 12 cars include gasoline-powered cars, plug-in cars, gasoline/electric hybrids and natural gas powered vehicles. No diesel cars made the top ranks because of their relatively high emissions compared to very fuel-efficient gasoline-powered cars.

The Volt can run on electricity or gasoline. For the purposes of these rankings, the ACEEE assumed the Volt was driven on plug-in electricity 64% percent of the time and on gasoline 36% of the time. The ratio was based on a standard recommended by the Society of Automotive Engineers, an ACEEE spokeswoman said.

"As a gasoline vehicle, the fuel economy's not stellar," said Shruti Vaidyanathan, a spokeswoman for the ACEEE.

When operating under gasoline power, the Volt gets EPA-rated fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway.

That's not as good as the third-ranked Smart ForTwo, which gets 41 mpg on the highway, 33 in the city or the fourth-ranked Toyota Prius, which gets 48 on the highway and 51 in the city. A car's weight is considered an important factor into the rating system, so the Volt's nearly 3,800 pounds dragged its rankings down. The Chevrolet Cruze Eco, a gasoline-powered car that's otherwise very similar to the Volt but weighs 750 pounds less, ranked 8th on the list. Most of the Volt's additional weight comes from its lithium-ion battery pack. For electric and hybrid cars the organization accounted for battery weight separately. Nickel-metal batteries used in hybrid cars like the Prius have a greater impact, pound for pound, than the less toxic, but far larger, lithium-ion batteries used in the Leaf and Volt. Weight accounted for roughly 40 pct of the Volt's overall score. View the full list of greenest cars.

Gunderson unveils greenroof pilot project

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Gunderson LLC, a subsidiary of The Greenbrier Companies Inc., unveiled this week a first for Portland: A 1,000 square-foot roof on an industrial area that's meant to create a habitat for bugs and birds while providing a natural filter for stormwater.

Working with the city of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services and the Portland-based Greenroof Info Think-Tank , Gunderson designed and built its own greenroof. The company will use it as a testing ground to determine what kind of design works best in an industrial setting and how effective the green rooftop is in providing an environment conducive to a vibrant ecosystem.

"We're trying to figure out how to value the habitat," said David Harvey, environmental director for Gunderson. "It doesn't have an actual measurement, so we're looking for some attributes to mention."

While ecoroofs are usually lauded for their efficient handling of stormwater, habitat roofs also emphasize biodiversity. The goal of a habitat roof is to provide a varied habitat for small critters by including varying depths of soil, plants of different sizes and logs to provide shady resting spots.

Gunderson, which dedicated the roof with Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman on Tuesday and hosted a gathering of the Greenroof Info Think-Tank to tour the site Wednesday, will continue to work with both the city and the think tank to study the site and determine best practices for future sites. A committee of think tank members has assembled to develop a measurement system for habitat value."We have more than 20 acres of rooftop," Harvey said. "We want to determine which ones we can build habitat roofs on and what's the best soil to use."Gunderson already plans to build a second pilot habitat on a 2,300-square-foot roof later this summer."The real challenge is everyone says it's a good idea, but no one has done it before, so information isn't available," Harvey said.

Huge Solar-Plant Project Approved

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A proposal to build the world's biggest solar-thermal power plant in the Southern California desert got the go-ahead Monday from the Obama administration, which used the announcement to bolster its message that renewable energy creates jobs.

The $6 billion project is being developed by Solar Trust of America, a joint venture between Germany's Solar Millennium AG and privately held Ferrostaal AG on 7,025 acres of federally owned land near Blythe, Calif. The approval clears the way for the developers to seek federal grants and loan guarantees.

The Obama administration has been criticized over the past year for hurting job creation by holding up coal-mining permits and suspending deep-water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico after the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

The Obama administration said the Blythe solar-power project will create 1,066 jobs at the peak of construction and almost 300 permanent jobs to operate the facility.

The project is the sixth solar-energy installation approved for public lands. The Interior Department said in total the projects could generate as much as 2,800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power two million homes. California regulators have approved or plan to approve a total of nine solar-thermal power plants for the state.

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City of Portland wins EPA Green Power Leadership Award

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The City of Portland announced today that it has received a 2011 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual awards recognize the country's leading green power users for their commitment and contribution to helping advance the development of the nation's voluntary green power market. EPA presented Portland with the Green Power Community of the Year award at an event held in conjunction with the 2011 Renewable Energy Markets Conference in San Francisco, California, on November 16, 2011.

"We are proud to receive this award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and we value our long-standing partnerships with Portland General Electric and Pacific Power," said Portland Mayor Sam Adams. "The purchase of green power by our citizens and businesses helps our community become more sustainable, while also sending a message to others communities across the U.S. that supporting clean sources of electricity is a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing climate risk."

In partnership with Pacific Power and Portland General Electric, Portland was one of only two communities nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for using green power in amounts that meet or exceed EPA purchase requirements for residents' and businesses' collective green power purchase. Portland residents and businesses currently voluntarily purchase nearly 709 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet nine percent of the community's electricity use. Green Power Communities (GPCs) distinguish themselves through their green power usage, leadership, citizen engagement, renewable energy strategy, and impact on the green power market.�

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Boosters tout Oregon's green industries in Japan

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A group of corporate and government executives has traveled to Japan to lobby on behalf of Oregon businesses.

The 17-member Oregon delegation will promote the state's solar, fuel cell and battery technology industries as they attempt to recruit clean technology investment to the state. The group believes 110 Japanese firms will attend "Invest in Oregon" seminars in Osaka and Tokyo.

Oregon's visitors will attend a photovoltaic exposition in Tokyo on March 4.

The team includes Metro Council President Tom Hughes, Business Oregon Director Tim McCabe, economic development officials from the cities of Hillsboro, Gresham and Salem and executives from such companies as CH2M Hill, Gerding Edlen and Portland General Electric.

Business Oregon, the state's economic development department, organized the trip along with the Japan America Society of Oregon. The trip's sponsors include Delta Airlines, the Port of Portland, InSpec Group and Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt PC.

Electric-vehicle infrastructure website launched

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Portland Development Commission today launched a website where customers can quickly obtain permits for electric vehicle charging stations, according to James Mast, senior project manager for the PDC.

ChargePortland.com went live today. The website provides information to consumers on electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as ongoing and developing city policies relating to promotion of electric vehicles. Consumers who have just purchased an electric vehicle can also go to the website to obtain permits for a charging station, Mast said.

"There aren't that many people out there with electric vehicles, so we don't need the permits just yet," Mast said. "But we wanted to have the system in place. You can obtain a permit (for an electric vehicle charging station) on the spot with a credit card and have an inspection within 48 hours."

The website also features a map showing all currently installed charging stations throughout Oregon.

Portland company could be first U.S. food waste to energy plant

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Those fries you don't finish at the local burger joint could become electricity under a franchise granted by Metro this week.
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Columbia Biogas plans to build a facility that will use anaerobic digestion to transform commercial food waste into methane gas that will run engines to generate electricity.
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Although common in Europe, the proposed facility on Northeast Columbia Boulevard is on track to be the first of its kind in American, according to company President John McKinney.
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The plant will also produce a fiber soil additive, liquid fertilizer, fairly clean water and heat as by products.
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"We're capturing the benefits of food waste that would otherwise be hauled long distances to a landfill," McKinney said.
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The plant, to be located on 11 acres west of the Colwood Golf Course that backs up to the Columbia Slough, is expected to take 194,000 tons per year of solid and liquid food waste from commercial and industrial sources. It won't take residential food waste, or yard debris. �
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Through an enclosed fermentation process using bacteria, the plant is expected to produce about 5 kilowatts of electricity per day, enough to power about 5,000 homes.

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Oregon's wave-power farm marks first in nation

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Wave power along Oregon's coast is on its way to being harnessed for "clean" energy, a plan that would make Oregon the first U.S. site with a wave-power farm.

Construction is underway off the Oregon Coast for what would be the nation's first commercial wave-energy farm. Project planners say nine more buoys are planned to deploy at a site in Reedsport by 2012. Total cost for this first wave-energy site is expected to be $60 million.

The wave-energy farm will work like this:

Energy is drawn from waves at the ocean's surface through a network of buoys set up along the coast.
The buoys convert the wave power to electricity.
Submerged cables send the energy to shore.

However, there are drawbacks with this type of energy harvest. The buoys can sink or end up on the beach, creating a tangled mess. Plus, commercial fishers and crabbers get closed out of wave-energy areas as those become no-fish zones.

Because the technology is still being developed, wave power costs five or six times as much as wind power. The Oregon project is being funded in a few ways, by New Jersey-based developer Ocean Power Technologies, by the U.S. Department of Energy, by Oregon tax credits and by money from the Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative.

See KATU's video story

Learn more about wave power

U.S. Wind Energy Industry Breaks All Records

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - ��The U.S. wind industry broke all previous records by installing nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in 2009 (enough to serve over 2.4 million homes), but still lags in manufacturing, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its Q4 report.

These new projects place wind power neck and neck with natural gas � as the leading source of new electricity generation for the country.� Together, the two sources account for about 80% of the new capacity added in the country last year. ��

"The U.S. wind energy industry shattered all installation records in 2009, chalking up the Recovery Act as a historic success in creating jobs, avoiding carbon, and protecting consumers," said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. "But U.S. wind turbine manufacturing - the canary in the mine -- is down compared to last year's levels, and needs long-term policy certainty and market pull in order to grow.� We need to set hard targets, in the form of a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), in order to provide the necessary stability for manufacturers to expand their U.S. operations and to seize the historic opportunity we have today to build up a thriving renewable energy industry."

Early last year, before the Recovery Act (ARRA), the industry anticipated that in 2009 wind power development might drop by as much as 50% from 2008 levels, with equivalent job losses.� The clear commitment by the President to create clean energy jobs and the swift implementation of ARRA incentives by the Administration in mid-summer reversed the situation. Recovery Act incentives spurred the growth of construction, operations and maintenance, and management jobs, helping the industry to save and create jobs in those sectors and shine as a bright spot in the economy.�

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Oregon breaks ground on nation's largest solar highway project

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Portland General Electric and the Oregon Department of Transportation broke ground Tuesday on what's billed as the nation's largest solar highway project.

The 1.75 megawatt solar array, which will be installed adjacent to the rest area on Interstate 5 northbound near Wilsonville, is expected to generate 1.97 million kilowatt hours of energy per year - enough to satisfy about 9 percent of what ODOT typically purchases from PGE.

Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez was on hand Tuesday to congratulate the state for its leadership.

"Between this project - the largest of its kind in the nation - and the solar interchange a few miles north of year, it's clear the road to the future starts here in Oreogn," Mendez said in prepared remarks.

ODOT and PGE are boasting an all-Oregon project, similar to the ground-mounted solar project launched by the Oregon University System last week . The Baldock Solar Highway array will include 6,994 panels from SolarWorld, with the solar inverters coming from Advanced Energy, which purchased PV Powered of Bend in last year .

ODOT owns the land and PGE will build and operate the installation, which is expected to come online in January. The array will help PGE meet the state's renewable portfolio standard which requires utilities to get 25 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2025.

The solar highway project is also supported by funds and incentives from Energy Trust of Oregon, PGE's Clean Wind program and Oregon's Business Energy Tax Credit program. Bank of America is providing financing.

Shelley Snow, spokeswoman for ODOT said the department is still considering expanding the solar highway demonstration project at the intersection of I-5 and I-205. In addition, the department is the process of completing an analysis of other potential sites for solar on ODOT land across the state.

Free clean energy forum Feb. 26 at U of Portland

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Interested in talking more about clean energy? You've got your chance: the University of Portland is hosting a "Focus the Nation 2011: Transforming Our Energy Future" clean energy forum on Saturday Feb. 26. The student-organized event is free and open to the public. Kicking things off are Bill Bradbury, former Oregon Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate and Wyeth Larson, a 2009 University of Portland alum and Mountain Gear's sustainability coordinator. The two will focus on critical energy challenges and how old and young alike can collaborate to constructively address them.

"By raising our voices in a clarion call for clean energy, we can show our leaders the passion behind the demand for sustainable energy production," said senior Dan Browne in a statement. "Together we can set the stage for a transition into a clean, renewable energy epoch."

Other speakers: Thor Hinckley, director of the renewable power program at Portland General Electric; Bill Edmonds, director of environmental policy and sustainability at NW Natural; Angus Duncan, executive director of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation; Jason Busch, executive director of Oregon Wave Energy Trust; and James Maldonado, chief of staff for operations at Vestas Wind Systems.
Get the lowdown on jobs, internships and graduate programs at the "Green Futures Exhibit" with Cascade Climate Network, Community Energy Project, Earth Share Oregon, Energy Trust, Northwest Earth Institute, Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Oregon Environmental Council, Portland General Electric, Restoring Eden, Seven Planet and Sustainable Business Oregon.

�Focus the Nation is a nonprofit that aims to accelerate the advancement of clean energy by fostering connections among people who want the same thing. The university hosted a Focus the Nation event in 2008, which attracted more than 3,500 people.

�The event on Feb. 26 will run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Buckley Center Auditorium on campus, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd.

PGE leads nation in renewable power customers

Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For the second straight year, Portland General Electric Co. led the nation in having more renewable power customers than any other utility.

DOE ranks PGE No. 1 in U.S. for number of renewable power customers

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"Oregon is gaining a reputation as a leader in renewable energy resources, and PGE customers are pointing the way," said Carol Dillin, vice president, customers and economic development, PGE.

Solar company chooses Gresham

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Solexant will hire 170 workers, plans to grow to 1,000

The number of jobs is predicted to increase to 1,000 over a period of years, as Solexant grows with the rapidly expanding solar industry.

Solexant manufactures thin-film solar cells, and the company says its process dramatically increases solar efficiency and lowers manufacturing costs.

Solexant is expected to receive incentives for locating in Gresham, including a targeted state loan and a state-sponsored energy tax credit.

Ford deems Portland electric vehicle-ready

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Ford named Portland among its top 25 most electric vehicle-ready cities Wednesday, praising the region's cooperation, utility support and streamlined permitting.

In November, Ford officially named Portland one of the launch cities for its all-electric Ford Focus, due out later this year.

"Portland is most progressive in its actions and what other cities are doing is replicating what Portland is doing," Tinskey said.

Ford works closely with Portland General Electric, having signed a formal memorandum of understanding to work on electric vehicle infrastructure last year.

Specifically, Tinskey praised Oregon's minor label program, which allows for streamlined and batch permitting of electric vehicle charging stations.

"That's a model that other states are looking at," Tinskey said.

Other factors highlighted by Ford include the City of Portland's approval of a comprehensive strategy for electric vehicle adoption and the active participation of PGE on infrastructure for EVs.

Tinksey said all-electric Ford Focus cars should start arriving in Portland in December.

Read the rest of the article...

Leaf and Prius stomp the Volt on greenest car list

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

"As a gasoline vehicle, the fuel economy's not stellar," said Shruti Vaidyanathan, a spokeswoman for the ACEEE.

When operating under gasoline power, the Volt gets EPA-rated fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway.

Gunderson unveils greenroof pilot project

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Huge Solar-Plant Project Approved

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Obama administration said the Blythe solar-power project will create 1,066 jobs at the peak of construction and almost 300 permanent jobs to operate the facility.

City of Portland wins EPA Green Power Leadership Award

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Boosters tout Oregon's green industries in Japan

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A group of corporate and government executives has traveled to Japan to lobby on behalf of Oregon businesses.

Oregon's visitors will attend a photovoltaic exposition in Tokyo on March 4.

Electric-vehicle infrastructure website launched

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The website also features a map showing all currently installed charging stations throughout Oregon.

Portland company could be first U.S. food waste to energy plant

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Oregon's wave-power farm marks first in nation

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Energy is drawn from waves at the ocean's surface through a network of buoys set up along the coast.
The buoys convert the wave power to electricity.
Submerged cables send the energy to shore.

See KATU's video story

Learn more about wave power

U.S. Wind Energy Industry Breaks All Records

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Read the rest of the article...

Oregon breaks ground on nation's largest solar highway project

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Portland General Electric and the Oregon Department of Transportation broke ground Tuesday on what's billed as the nation's largest solar highway project.

Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez was on hand Tuesday to congratulate the state for its leadership.

Free clean energy forum Feb. 26 at U of Portland

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

�The event on Feb. 26 will run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Buckley Center Auditorium on campus, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd.