Green Projects Wanted!
March 01, 2010
PORTLAND, Ore. – Got a bright idea for making Oregon, Washington or California greener? Could you use a little green to help make your project a reality? Beginning March 8, 2010, Pacific Power will accept applications for community-based renewable energy project funding from its Blue Sky renewable energy program.
For 10 years now, Pacific Power’s participating Blue Sky customers have made a difference by supporting renewable energy in the region. Just since 2006, Blue Sky customers also have helped fund 29 new community-based renewable energy projects in Oregon, Washington and California. Many of these projects are now completed, generating electricity and providing educational opportunities about the advancement of renewable energy.
“We’re honored to be able to offer these funding awards to help support new community-based renewable energy projects in our service area,” said Pat Egan, vice president of customer and community affairs for Pacific Power. “We look forward to seeing this round of applications and selecting projects that demonstrate significant community benefit for our customers.”
To be considered in this competitive application process, interested parties must complete and submit an application form along with supporting materials by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 14, 2010. Applications will be accepted beginning March 8.
Renewable energy projects that are eligible for funding awards from Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program may include those that support technologies such as wind, solar, biomass, wave, landfill gas, certified low-impact hydro and geothermal.
This funding is available for projects in Pacific Power’s service area that are locally owned and have a generating capacity of less than 10 megawatts of electricity. Projects must be completed within two years of the receipt of funding and should focus on encouraging renewable energy market transformation. Preference is given to local, community-based projects that develop renewable energy generation, support educational efforts to bring broader understanding of renewable energy development and generation, and/or invest in research and demonstration of new generation technologies.
Funding is not available for off-grid projects or projects from private individuals. For detailed criteria on project qualifications and application forms, please go to: www.pacificpower.net/blueskyfunds.
Entries should be thorough, and should be submitted with supporting materials such as photographs, schematics, drawings, cut sheets, narratives or anything the applicant considers useful in the project evaluation.
Materials may be submitted by mail, fax or e-mail to:
Pacific Power
Attn: Blue Sky Fund Award
1900 SW 4th Ave. – Plaza
Portland, OR 97201
Fax: 800-754-3114
E-mail: blueskyprojects@pacificpower.net
The amount available for funding awards varies year to year. In 2009, Pacific Power gave Blue Sky funding awards totaling $394,750 to 8 renewable energy projects in its service area. This funding is made possible thanks to participating Blue Sky customers.
How Blue Sky Works
When a customer enrolls in Blue Sky, Pacific Power purchases Green-e Energy-certified renewable energy certificates on their behalf from wind energy facilities in the region. Blue Sky funds also help support the development of smaller-scale renewable energy projects in local communities. About 39,200 Pacific Power customers currently buy Blue Sky renewable energy.
Separate from Blue Sky, Pacific Power is investing in cost-effective renewable energy to serve its customers through company-owned generation and renewable energy purchases.
“Our successful Blue Sky program, coupled with the large investments we are making in cost-effective renewable energy projects, demonstrates our company’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship,” said Egan. “We see these funding awards as another strong component of our overall commitment to our customers and communities, encouraging their initiative in growing renewable energy at the local level.”
About Blue Sky
Strong customer support has enabled the Blue Sky program to be instrumental in the creation of more federally recognized Green Power Communities than any other program in the nation. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has ranked Blue Sky fifth or better in the nation for the sixth consecutive year in the number of customers buying renewable power and for renewable power sales volume. Blue Sky was named national 2007 Green Power Program of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. The program is Green-e Energy Certified, which means the renewable energy supported meets the rigorous national environmental and consumer-protection standards established by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions. For more information on Green-e Energy, visit www.green-e.org/energy. More than 39,000 customers in the Northwest are part of Blue Sky.
About Pacific Power
In 2010, Pacific Power celebrates 100 years serving customers and communities. From our beginnings -- serving 7,000 customers in four Northwest communities -- Pacific Power now provides electric service to more than 724,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. Our goal is to provide our customers with value for their energy dollar, and safe, reliable electricity, for another 100 years. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 1.7 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
