Oregon

The Oregon Legislature is set to enter its 2012 session later this week. The state is newly experimenting with annual legislative sessions and this “off-year” calendar is scripted to be a very short 30 day session. With narrow timelines and a cap on the number of bills that any legislator can drop, expectations for the session are modest. Gov.

Join us for the fourth annual Green Professionals Conference on February 16, 2012 in Portland, Oregon. The conference is intended to educate, motivate and provide a forum to network and initiate conversations.

More than just a job fair, the conference is designed for corporations, government agencies, elected officials, universities, trade schools and nonprofits to gather under one roof to stimulate economic growth by strengthening the green job workforce.

New temporary rules related to energy incentives (tax credits) for conservation projects were filed on Friday, December 23. A copy of the rules can be found on the Oregon Department of Energy’s website here. 

The new temporary rules are a result of House Bill 3672 (2011). After January 1, 2012, Oregon Department of Energy will be issuing its first opportunity announcement for conservation projects.

The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) will hold a public hearing on Dec. 19 to take public input on the proposed fee structure for the new Energy Incentive Program (EIP). HB3672 that passed during the 2011 Legislative Session created the new program to replace the Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC).

The following proposed program fees will be discussed at the EIP hearing:

Conduit, the NEEA inspired on-line of community of energy efficiency professionals and stakeholders, recently hit 1,000 users. The networking and information site was inspired from a regional collaboration instigated by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Taskforce. Conduit is open for trade allies and other interested parties to join and participate. Click here to browse the site or sign up as a user. 

With the announced retirement of Claire Fulenwider, NEEA Executive Director, earlier this year, the Board of Directors of the organization engaged a national search for her successor. Recently the Board announced that Susan Stratton would be the Executive Director. Stratton brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in energy policy, utility regulation, economics, and professional education programs for utility executives.

The tax credit formerly known as BETC - (currently being referred to as the Energy Incentive Program or EIP) has a draft rules plan published by the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE). A comment period on the rules draft just finished and permanent rules are anticipated sometime this Fall. The draft tax credit requirements for energy efficiency projects have a number of features that need - in NEEC's view - to be addressed prior to their final publication.

The Energy Trust of Oregon has moved swiftly in the face of the short term evaporation of the popular Business Energy Tax Credit in that state (see related article below on new tax credit rulemaking). Recognizing that the loss of the tax credit would likely have immediate effects on their 2011 energy savings goals for existing commercial and industrial efficiency sectors, the Trust is offering "bonus incentives" between now and the end of the year.

The Oregon Department of Energy is seeking input on the new Energy Incentives Programs (formerly BETC), and Residential Energy Tax Credit program. During the webinar the Department will present a framework for the new programs. Participants will have an opportunity through the webinar to submit questions and suggestions to Department staff. The Department will take the comments into consideration as the temporary rules are drafted.

The Department plans to put temporary rules in place in early October, 2011 and will present the schedule and process for permanent rulemaking.

It has often been said that you can’t manage what you can’t measure. Data from the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) have important direct and indirect impacts on the building industry and U.S. economy. CBECS is a nationally representative survey of commercial building energy consumption and expenditures, and their energy-related characteristics in the United States.