From ogwg at listsmart.osl.state.or.us Fri Jul 2 16:42:39 2010 From: ogwg at listsmart.osl.state.or.us (Oregon Geothermal Working Group) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2010 23:42:39 +0000 Subject: [OGWG] FW: Portland Biz Journal: Blumenauer bill would boost geothermal energy development Message-ID: Blumenauer bill would boost geothermal energy development Portland Business Journal - by Matthew Kish Business Journal managing editor Congressman Earl Blumenauer has introduced a bill that would give a significant boost to geothermal energy developers, a critical part of Oregon's green economy. The Portland Democrat's bill, H.R. 5612, would give a 30 percent tax credit for investments in geothermal energy projects. Geothermal energy is produced when extreme underground temperatures heat water to produce steam, much like a conventional boiler. It becomes renewable when production facilities, which run the steam through a turbine, reinject the water back into the ground so it can reheat. "We are literally standing on one of the best solutions to the energy equation, which is the natural heat of the earth," Blumenauer said in a news release. "The United States has more geothermal capacity than any other country, and by harnessing this heat we can generate clean, homegrown energy that won't spill into the oceans or exacerbate global warming." Oregon ended 2009 ranked third in total U.S. geothermal capacity under development, with 13 projects at various stages of development that together could yield 370 megawatts, according to a January report by the Geothermal Energy Association, a Washington, D.C., trade group. That's roughly enough to power 370,000 homes. Read more: Blumenauer bill would boost geothermal energy development - Portland Business Journal -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ogwg at listsmart.osl.state.or.us Wed Jul 14 08:29:53 2010 From: ogwg at listsmart.osl.state.or.us (Oregon Geothermal Working Group) Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:29:53 +0000 Subject: [OGWG] FW: ODOE News Release: CREFF Message-ID: FYI. Please note that applications for the next round of funding are being accepted from mid-July to September. See the link below for more information on the program. Robin From: Shinn, Kathy Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 3:39 PM To: All Energy Staff Subject: ODOE News Release: CREFF Oregon Department of Energy News 625 Marion St. NE, Salem, OR 97301-3737 (503) 378-4040 Fax (503) 373-7806 For Immediate Release July 13, 2010 #10-26 Contacts: Rebecca Sherman (503) 376-2120 Kathy Shinn (503) 373-1033 In Oregon 1-800-221-8035 ELEVEN NEW AWARDS TO FUND RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDIES The Oregon Department of Energy has issued 11 awards in a competitive process to study the feasibility of specific and new renewable energy, heat, and fuel projects in Oregon. Eleven projects in nine counties received funding ranging from $20,000 to $50,000, at a total commitment level of $351,000. The purpose of the CREFF program is to encourage widespread adoption of renewable energy projects that reduce Oregon's dependence on fossil-based energy sources and promote sustainable economic development. Studies may address initial resource assessments, siting and permitting requirements, transmission and interconnection, environmental footprint, and long-term economic viability. "These funds help communities and businesses answer their first critical questions about developing renewable energy," says Rebecca Sherman, Renewable Energy Development Coordinator at the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE). "With a feasibility study in hand, our awardees will have a solid financing platform and a road map to building their new projects." The Department of Energy issued renewable energy feasibility awards for eleven studies. Information about all of the awards is available online at http://oregon.gov/ENERGY/RENEW/CREFF.shtml/. Three of the eleven awards are highlighted below: Crane Wind and Solar Thermal Study (Crane School District, Harney County, $31,000) The Crane School District will construct a wind-testing tower to help them design and build a wind turbine on school grounds. The school district also will examine opportunities for a solar thermal project to help heat water in the school cafeteria and campus dormitory. Lakeview Heating District Study (Town of Lakeview, Lake County, $40,000) The Town of Lakeview has ample geothermal resources and has already successfully implemented geothermal heating projects in large public facilities. With this award, Lakeview will map out the potential for a heating district, supplying geothermal heat to town businesses and buildings. Wallowa Combined Heat and Power (Wallowa Resources, Wallowa County, $20,000) Wallowa Resources transformed the old Wallowa County Hospital in Enterprise into the Wallowa Resources Stewardship Center. The Center will evaluate, design, and create a financing plan to build a combined heat-and-power boiler to heat the Center efficiently, fueled by biomass stocks such as briquettes. A full list of awardees follows: Awardee Study Type Proposed Project County Proposed Project Community Total Study Cost % of Total Cost Amount Awarded Wallowa Resources Biomass Combined Heat-and-Power Wallowa Enterprise $29,250 68% $20,000 Crane School District #1J and #4 Wind and Solar Thermal Harney Crane $40,000 78% $31,000 Hot Lake Properties LLC Geothermal Power Union La Grande $38,000 75% $28,500 Old Mill Solar, LLC Solar Array Klamath Bly $35,800 64% $23,000 Philomath School District #17J Solar Array Benton Philomath $30,000 75% $22,500 City of Sisters Woody Biomass Heating and Manufacturing Deschutes Sisters $43,250 72% $31,000 Oregon Community Wind, LLC Wind Farm Lake Adel $72,075 55% $40,000 Crook County Solar Array Crook Prineville $28,044 71% $20,000 Town of Lakeview Geothermal Heating District Lake Lakeview $67,000 60% $40,000 DH&G Cascades LLC Solar Array Crook Prineville $70,000 64% $45,000 Mariah Wind, LLC Wind Farm Morrow Lexington $67,583 74% $50,000 TOTALS $521,002 67% $351,000 The CREFF program is competitive and will be open again to applications this year. Program guidelines and when next to apply are on the ODOE website at http://oregon.gov/ENERGY/RENEW/CREFF.shtml. The program was established in 2007 with funds from a legal settlement between the state of Oregon and Reliant Energy. One million dollars of the settlement was set aside to provide financial assistance for feasibility studies for renewable energy projects that benefit Oregon energy consumers and local communities. In 2009 the CREFF program issued its first round of awards at a total grant level of $171,500. These awards represented a range of renewable energy sectors throughout Oregon, and will result in six feasibility studies examining wind, bioenergy, hydropower and solar projects. To date, the program has committed over $650,000 to feasibility projects that provide the essential first step for renewable energy development in Oregon. ### -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: