Energy Trust FAQs

A desire to provide stable, consistent and reliable funding for energy efficiency and renewable power led Oregon utility companies, businesses, industry groups and community service organizations to unite in support of Senate Bill 1149, the electric industry restructuring bill, approved by the Oregon Legislature in 1999. While historically Oregon's two largest investor-owned utilities, PGE and Pacific Power, had spent about three percent of customer revenues on renewable energy and energy efficiency, in any one year the amount spent varied widely. SB 1149 established three percent as an annual public purpose amount to be collected over 10 years. The Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) authorized Energy Trust to receive most (74 percent) of the public purpose funds. The remaining funds support energy efficiency in K-12 public schools and low-income housing. In 2003, NW Natural, followed in 2006 by Cascade Natural Gas, sought and received OPUC approval to establish public purpose charges and transition their energy conservation programs to Energy Trust.

Energy Trust is working to fulfill Oregon’s vision to meet future energy needs through environmentally sound, clean energy sources. Our success is measured in kilowatt hours of electricity and therms of natural gas saved, and in renewable energy produced. Between 2010 and 2014, we expect to save 256 average megawatts of electricity, 22.5 million annual therms of natural gas, and generate 23 average megawatts from renewable energy sources, while expanding markets for hydro, solar, geothermal, biopower and wind.

Cumulatively, we have saved and generated enough clean electricity to power 265,000 Oregon homes and saved enough natural gas to heat 26,000 homes. Since 2002, we have funded almost nine megawatts of solar installations.

Oregon customers of our affiliated utilities—PGE, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas—fund our programs through their utility bills. In 2009, Energy Trust received about $91 million in revenue from these sources.

As a nonprofit, Energy Trust strives to operate efficiently. We manage our programs with minimum staff and operate our programs through contracts with service providers. Our work is overseen by a citizen board, and we take pride in being open, accessible and accountable to the public.

Home Energy Solutions

• Existing homes, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, manufactured homes and multifamily buildings
• New homes, manufactured homes and multifamily buildings
• ENERGY STAR® clothes washers, refrigerators, freezers and compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Solar electric and water heating systems

Business Energy Solutions

• Existing buildings
• New buildings
• Industrial buildings and processes
• Energy from renewable sources such as solar, organic waste and wind

Renewable Energy Solutions

• Solar electric, solar water heating and solar pool heating
• Wind generation from single turbines to community scale
• Biopower from wood waste, landfill and wastewater gas, manure and other organic sources

Energy Trust offers cash incentives for all of the programs listed above.

Need financing for your home improvement project? Energy Trust has joined forces with Umpqua Bank to create GreenStreet Lending—an innovative alliance designed to help homeowners and small business owners access affordable financing to change the way they use energy. GreenStreet Lending offers preferred rates, no closing costs and no loan fees. Learn more at www.greenstreetloan.com.

Every household and business can make a difference for Oregon. Working with Energy Trust to conserve energy or generate clean, renewable electricity in your home or business can save you money and help create an energy-independent, environmentally-sound future.

To learn more about Energy Trust programs and how you can participate, call 1.866.368.7878.