Stephanie Page, Ag Energy Opportunity in Oregon, addresses Energy Summit attendees
Ontario's first Renewable Energy Summit brought to sunny Eastern Oregon what cloudy Western Oregon businesses have known for a long time: renewable energy pays for itself, and with state and federal grants and tax credits thrown in, it pays for itself sooner rather than later.
Grant and tax helps for residential renewable energy are more scarce, but the concept of generating your own electricity is a compelling one.
Possible scenarios:
1. Decide you want to install renewable energy for your business or residence. Contact the following for information on installation:
- Kurt Christensen, Renewable Ag Energy http://www.wsus1.com/rae.html for "Solar Ranching" and biomass
- Mark Van Gulik and Bob Cavazos, Sunergy World, http://sunergyworld.com/ for commercial/ residential solar
- See Renewable Energy Business websites for Oregon http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byGeo/US/byS/OR/OR.shtml and Idaho http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byGeo/US/byS/ID/ID.shtml
- Oregon's Don Hollis, http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/OR/bizcontact.htm USDA Rural Development, REAP grant applications http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/or/reap.htm
- Oregon BETC Business Energy Tax Credit http://www.oregon.gov/ENERGY/CONS/BUS/BETC.shtml
- Other State and Federal Incentives/Policies for Renewables and Efficiencies for tax breaks after your project is installed: http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?re=1&ee=1&spv=0&st=0&srp=1&state=OR
- Soybeans as biofuels for the Treasure Valley? Steve Norberg, Field Crops and Watershed Management, Malheur Extension Office is looking into the possibility: http://bioenergy.checkbiotech.org/news/alternative_crop_draws_wide_interest
3. If you install "grid-tied" (hooked up to the power company) renewable energy sources, you may be able to earn money for extra generation by way of a "Net Metering" contract with Idaho Power.
Renewable generation projects smaller than 10 MW are known as "distributed energy" and may qualify for buy-sell contracts with Idaho Power, as well as green tags which can be sold on the renewable energy market. Contact:
- Randy Allphin, Idaho Power
from the Ontario Argus Observer:
by Larry Meyer 2/19/2010
ONTARIO — A Renewable Energy Summit at Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario Thursday drew about 120 people to hear about such topics as basic industry terminology, legislation and tax credits, tax incentives and specific types of renewable energy. . .
The event was hosted by Treasure Valley Community College and SunergyWorld and was about exploring the opportunities of renewable energy, TVCC Assistant Dean of Workforce Development Roger Findley said. . .
Findley said the time is right to get projects started in the local area. He said he would like to see local farmers and business people get involved.
Don Hollis, Oregon USDA Rural Development, spoke about the grants and loans from that agency. Rural energy programs administered by the USDA were funded by Congress in 2006 and, in the last Farm Bill, were funded at $99 million, he said.
“They’re building the funding up,” Hollis said.
USDA does grants, loans and a combination of both. Eligible technology includes wind, soybeans, biomass, geothermal, anaerobic digester and, just recently added, micro-hydro. Eligible developers are small rural businesses and ag producers.
“(They) must be located in rural areas,” Hollis said. “Congress has designed this program for smaller projects.”
Smaller projects, he said, would be something along the lines of rooftop solar panels.
