July 9, 2007—Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed legislation (Senate Bill 838) in early June that requires the state’s utilities to draw on renewable energy for 25% of their power needs by 2025.
According to a summary from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the state’s aggressive new renewable energy policy includes interim targets of 5% renewable power by 2011, 15% by 2015, and 20% by 2020.
To meet the requirement, utilities can draw on wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, wave, or tidal energy resources. Utilities can also meet the requirement with new hydropower projects or efficiency upgrades to existing hydropower facilities.
Utilities that fall short of the requirement must instead pay a fee into an account that could support research and development, future renewable energy projects, or energy efficiency efforts.
The legislation includes a lower standard for small utilities and includes a 4% cost cap: utilities are not required to meet the standard if doing so would result in a cost increase of more than 4%.
The governor also signed two bills recently to encourage wave energy and solar power. Under House Bill 2925, wave energy projects off of Oregon’s coast that generate five megawatts or less are exempted from regulations that apply to hydropower projects. House Bill 2620 requires that contracts for construction or renovation of public buildings designate at least 1.5% of the total contract price for solar energy technology and upgrades.
