PRESS RELEASE:

Portland, OR 26 March 2009: World Future Council representative in Portland to advocate for stimulating production of renewable energy through “renewable energy payments”. 
   
Bianca Barth, Policy Officer for The World Future Council, will be in Portland to boost the efforts of “Oregonians for Renewable Energy Payments” and is available for interviews on Friday morning, April 3, 2009. Barth is supporting locally sponsored state legislation to adopt the German model for quickly advancing renewable energy production.

Called renewable energy payments (or feed-in tariffs), these proven policies are being adopted in over 45 countries around the world, including Germany, Denmark, France and Spain, providing the fastest deployment of renewable energy at the lowest cost, across all technologies and scales.

The German Environment Ministry reports 280,000 new jobs in renewables resulting from their Feed-in Tariff Law.  Germany now has the world’s largest renewable energy industry and annually adds more that 1000 megawatts of energy from rooftop solar, compared to California, which adds 100 Megawatts per year.  Now it’s Oregon’s turn to adopt the model

How it could work in Oregon:

Even with current tax incentives and Energy Trust of Oregon cash payments for residential solar, upfront costs are still prohibitive for most and the payback period too long. The result is insufficient demand for solar panels to meet production capability of manufacturers and the need for green jobs. Renewable energy payments create a new and proven financing option for the homeowner, small business and non-profit that wants to put up solar panels.

Basic tenets of a feed-in tariff policy are:

1.    If a utility customer can produce renewable energy (electricity from solar panels), local utility must connect them to grid within 60 days of applying.
2.    Utility must immediately start buying the electricity from the customer at a pre-determined incentive price.
3.    Price must cover what it costs to produce the electricity (purchase and install solar panels) plus a reasonable return on investment.
4.    Incentive prices are guaranteed to the customer for a set contract period – typically 20 years.

With a guaranteed price for a fixed contract period, lenders are confident of being repaid and money for upfront costs becomes available.

Payments to customers for electricity from rooftop solar are made from a “renewable energy payments fund”, created from a small surcharge on the electric bill of all electric customers. Utilities use these monies to pay for electricity fed into the grid by solar arrays on homes, schools, churches and small businesses (with similar provisions for other renewables).  The Oregon Department of Energy manages the fund and reimburses utilities for the difference between the cost to buy this renewable energy and what it would have cost for energy from another source. The increased demand and deployment of renewables drives down their price, making them competitive in the marketplace.

Once the policy is in place, homeowners, small businesses, churches, community groups, credit unions, local banks and private lenders - either individually or jointly - can profitably invest in rooftop solar or other renewables on buildings throughout their communities, spurring local job growth and local wealth.

About Bianca and the World Future Council: Based in Germany, Bianca Barth campaigns for business models supporting the quick deployment of renewable energy. She regularly hosts legislators from around the world, leading tours to demonstrate Germany’s success at deploying solar, wind and other renewables locally in rural and urban settings across the country. She has first-hand knowledge of how Germany has used feed-in tariffs to exceed its Kyoto goals for carbon emissions, and of the resulting economic development.

The World Future Council brings the interests of future generations to the canter of policy-making. Its 50 eminent members from around the globe have already successfully promoted change. The Council addresses challenges to our common future and provides decision-makers with effective policy solutions. In-depth research underpins advocacy work for international agreements, regional policy frameworks and national lawmaking and thus produces practical and tangible results - www.worldfuturecouncil.org.

View short video on success of feed-in tariffs in Germany at http://onlinepact.org/fit.html.

Bianca Barth will make the following public appearances in Portland and Salem:

FRI    4-03-09    PORTLAND EVENT:
7:00-8:30 PM    Portland Community College Cascade Campus
    Terrill Hall - Room 122: Friday, April 3rd, 7pm 

MON    4-06-09    PORTLAND EVENTS:
11:00 - 12:30 PM    PCC Rock Creek Campus
Events Center
  2:30 - 03:30 PM    PCC Sylvania Campus
Campus Center - Cedar Room

THU    4-09-09    SALEM EVENT:
11:30-1:00 PM    Legislative and press briefings in Capitol

Press Contact:     Bianca Barth, WFC Policy Officer
Mobile: 360-354-8449

Local Contact:    Oregonians for Renewable Energy Payments
 www.afd-pdx.org/REP/Index.html
Lou Stagnitto 503-997-0970 or Judy Barnes 503-232-1911