Read the original press release here.

Commissioner Jeff Cogen
MULTNOMAH COUNTY, District 2
501 SE Hawthorne, Suite 600
Portland, Oregon 97214
www.commissionercogen.com

PRESS RELEASE

For release: Thursday, June 26, 2008
Contacts:
Warren Fish, Multnomah County Commissioner Jeff Cogen 503-988-5219
Jan Schaeffer, Energy Trust of Oregon, 503-445-7603

Multnomah County Commission set to approve landmark green energy deal

Solar installations will cut energy costs; carbon dioxide emissions by up to 900 tons annually

Today the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners will consider an agreement to install the largest solar power project in Oregon on three county buildings. The project will produce approximately 1,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year, marking an important milestone for the Oregon solar energy industry.

Under the agreement, solar energy services provider SunEdison LLC of Maryland will build, own and operate the solar photovoltaic system, selling the power output to Multnomah County under a 20-year power purchase agreement. The county will pay SunEdison for all the power generated by the system at a rate just below what is currently paid to Portland General Electric (PGE). This rate will climb at a fixed annual escalator in line with historical utility price inflation of 2.83 percent.

Solar installations at three county facilities are expected to begin operating by the end of 2008. Buildings that are planned to receive solar installations include the Juvenile Justice Complex at 1401 NE 68th Ave., the John B. Yeon building complex at 1620 SE 190th Ave. and the Multnomah Building at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, all of which are within PGE service territory. The remainder of the county’s 100+ rooftops, parking structures and other facilities afford great potential for future expansion of the system.

Commissioner Jeff Cogen, who led the effort to pursue this project, said, “We’ve put a lot of work into planning this effort, evaluating prospective partners and negotiating terms that will benefit county taxpayers, while serving as a catalyst for clean energy in Oregon. I’m also extremely pleased with the service we’re getting from our project partner, SunEdison and from our utility, Portland General Electric, which has provided valuable assistance and information during the last year. And this project would not have been possible without the outstanding help we have received from Energy Trust of Oregon.”

While still in its infancy, the solar market in Oregon is growing rapidly. With this project, Multnomah County seeks to highlight Oregon’s solar energy potential and support local economic development in renewable energy. Despite its reputation as a rainy, cloudy place and therefore not conducive to solar energy projects, Oregon gets as much sun as the national average—and more than Germany, which leads the world in its use of solar energy.

In addition, the project will help hedge against rising energy costs and eliminate up to 19,000 tons of CO2 emissions over the 20-year project timeline—all at no added cost to county taxpayers, thanks to Federal Solar Investment tax credits and State of Oregon Business Energy Tax Credits (BETC.)

”Multnomah County has redefined the boundaries for finding sustainable energy at the most competitive prices. The County’s efforts are key to growing the solar industry in Oregon and provide a terrific model that other governments and businesses can easily follow,” said Peter West, Energy Trust’s director of renewable energy. “This is great news for the state and for the solar industry.”

Multnomah County currently purchases electricity for over 100 buildings and facilities it runs including libraries, health clinics, office buildings, jails, community centers, maintenance shops, roads, and bridges.

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Read the original press release here.