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Governor Signs Solar Energy Investment Act
June 11, 2007, Oregon State Legislature: New law requires public buildings to allocate 1.5% of contract price for solar energy
June 11, 2007
Contact: Trevor Steele (503) 986-1408
Salem – Oregon took a step toward making public buildings more energy efficient today when Governor Kulongoski signed House Bill 2620: the Solar Energy Investment Act into law at 10 a.m. today. Representative Holvey, chief sponsor of the act, was on hand for the signing.
“I introduced this bill because Oregon needs to be at the forefront of developing and encouraging investment in solar technologies,” said Representative Paul Holvey. “By integrating solar technology into buildings, we help the environment and grow Oregon based industries while saving taxpayers money through increased efficiency. Today, with the signing of the Solar Energy Investment Act, we have reached a new milestone in energy investment in Oregon.”
Jon Miller of the Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association and Robert Beisner, the Managing Director of Solar World were on hand for the event, recognizing the significance of this bill. The bill requires that 1.5 percent of the total contract price for the construction, reconstruction, or major renovation of a public building be allocated for the inclusion of solar energy design and technology.
The bill also allows public contracting agencies to determine whether the solar systems are appropriate for the project and to bank the 1.5 percent contract amount into a future project.
The bill is supported by the Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association, the Eugene Water & Electric Board, the Citizens Utility Board of Oregon, the Fair and Clean Energy Coalition, and the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group.