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State prisons look for ways to plug into ‘green’ energy
In a year or two, Oregon’s prisons could be powered partly by the sun.
from Portland Tribune
by Kevin Harden
In a year or two, Oregon’s prisons could be powered partly by the sun.
State Department of Corrections officials are looking for companies or consultants to help them plan, and possibly construct, “green power” systems at most of the state’s correctional facilities.
That means some of the agency’s 14 prisons and other corrections buildings that operate around the clock could someday have part of their electrical energy provided by solar or wind power.
“We’re just starting the information-gathering stage,” said Vern Rowan, the department’s facilities services business manager in Salem.
“We’re trying to find out what’s available in the industry, then take all that and decide what we can do to reduce our carbon footprint.”
Department officials took information Friday afternoon from two companies on ways to generate about 100 kilowatts of electricity a year at most of its facilities. The information could help the agency form a contract proposal.
SunEnergy Power Corp. of Bend and Honeywell Building Solutions of Minneapolis submitted information to the agency about providing alternative energy services.
It could take anywhere from 12 to 16 months for the agency to actually plug into the new power source, Rowan said.
‘Whole new wave’
Oregon’s corrections department is one of several public agencies in line to take advantage of the state’s Business Energy Tax Credit program, which gives private companies a 50 percent tax credit, up to $20 million, on the cost of new alternative energy generating facilities.
Multnomah County is working with the Energy Trust of Oregon to add solar panels to some of its buildings, with plans to generate about 1 million kilowatts of energy on county-owned property by 2010.
The Tualatin Valley Water District will discuss next week plans to install solar panels on its headquarters building on Southwest 170th Avenue in Aloha. The district’s staff will present a recommendation Feb. 5 that the agency install an alternative energy system on the building that could generate between 60,000 and 90,000 kilowatt hours a year in power.
“I think you’ll find this happening a lot,” said Jan Schaeffer with Energy Trust of Oregon. “The energy tax credit stimulates a whole new wave of interest in large-scale solar power.”
New administrative rules, reflecting changes made to the energy tax credit program by the 2007 Legislature, go into effect Friday.
Big, flat roofs
Oregon’s corrections department is one of the agencies that could benefit financially from the alternative energy plan. The agency spent $17.8 million of its $1.12 billion 2005-07 budget on energy for its buildings. That includes electricity and natural gas.
One of the 14 prisons, the Warner Creek Correctional Facility in Lakeview, uses some geothermal energy to heat its buildings, which holds down some costs.
In the past few months, two companies have approached the corrections department about constructing solar energy systems for some of its buildings, Rowan said. The companies would require long-term agreements to buy the power, which prompted the department to seek more information on what kinds of alternative energy systems – and prices – were available.
“When you have gigantic buildings with big, flat roofs it makes sense to try something with solar power,” said Kay Duffey, the department’s contracts coordinator.
“Our ultimate goal is to reduce our reliance on non-renewable energy sources,” Rowan said.
kevinharden@portlandtribune.com
Oregon’s Department of Corrections has 13,574 inmates in 14 prisons scattered across the state from Salem to Ontario. It plans to open two new facilities in Junction City in 2009 and 2010.