APPLY TODAY: Renewable Energy Planning in your Community

Sustainable Northwest, Lake County Resource Initiative, and Wallowa Resources are hosting a series of workshops – Making Energy Work for Rural Oregon – in four different communities across Oregon, from June through October 2015, to help communities implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Lake County is on its way to being 100% free of fossil fuels, with 22 renewable energy projects that save the county over $1.9 million dollars. Wallowa County has solar, biomass, and micro-hydro projects that save over $2.4 million on energy costs. 

Communities interested in becoming a renewable energy leader click here to apply to host a workshop. Deadline for applications is May 15, 2015.

Workshops will be tailored to address the specific energy needs of each community and sector (e.g. agricultural, commercial, residential, municipal). With the participation of local elected officials, community leaders, non-profits, businesses, and agricultural interests, we will design the workshops based on available natural resources, the local priorities, and the communities’ interests in utilizing energy assets to drive economic development.

Communities will come away with tools and knowledge for their energy future:

• Identify energy-related projects that can save money, create new jobs, and provide environmental benefit, like carbon reduction.
• Set energy savings and energy generation goals, and learn how to meet those goals.
• Make connections to energy experts who have the tools and knowledge to develop

Investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency present an extraordinary opportunity to support a clean energy economy. Benefits from these investments retain energy dollars within a community, foster energy independence, create jobs, improve the health of our environment, and respond to the challenges of climate change. Rural communities in Oregon are adjacent to some of the best renewable energy resources in the state, but are also particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change, such as declining forest health, increased drought, and resulting water shortages. Investments in clean energy not only create a platform for economic growth; they create compelling opportunities for a prosperous regional future.

For more information about this series, contact Lee Rahr, Energy Program Director: lrahr@sustainablenorthwest.org, (503) 318-8607.

Find more information and to spread the word about this series, see the Workshop Flyer.