Organizational News March 2010

Solar Oregon needs your help

Since 1979 members of Solar Oregon (formerly SEAO, Solar Energy Association of Oregon) have supported our organization through ebbs and flows in the solar industry. Recent developments like higher tax credits (Federal) and reduced costs of photovoltaics, combined with bulk purchasing efforts, have created a flood of interest in solar installations. Solar Oregon, in partnership with Energy Trust, the City of Portland and others, is responding to cities throughout Oregon who want to get on the clean energy bandwagon.

To better serve communities across Oregon, we are working hard to launch a new website by the end of March. We are also launching a job connector and expanding our network of Solar Ambassadors, Solar Professionals, Solar Stars, etc. As the network grows, the value to the community grows.

Solar Oregon needs your membership support. Help us put on more quality workshops, educate young and old, and support solar energy efforts in communities of all sizes in Oregon. Membership starts at $5 per month with options for individuals, families, businesses, professionals, etc. For more information please visit www.solaroregon.org/get-involved, or call Karrie Hamilton, Volunteer and Membership Coordinator at our office at 503-231-5662.

Thank you for your support!

Markus Stoffel, Executive Director

Organizational News Feb 2010

Volunteer Meeting at Solar Oregon

Solar Oregon is a non-profit membership organization providing public education and community outreach to encourage Oregonians to choose solar energy. Since we are a membership based, educational organization volunteers are central to our continued support.

If you are a current volunteer or have ever thought of becoming one please plan on attending the first volunteer meeting/orientation of the New Year! It is here where you will learn more about Solar Oregon, what our mission is and how we execute our mission throughout the state. Find out more information on our volunteer programs, what opportunities are available to volunteers, as well as sharing a networking experience with others within the solar industry.

Details:
Saturday, Feb 13 (10:30 - 11:30am)
Solar Oregon Office
205 SE Grand Ave., Suite 205
Portland, Oregon

Please RSVP at volunteer@solaroregon.org

Organizational News Jan 2010

Introducing Markus Stoffel, new Executive Director of Solar Oregon

Solar Oregon’s board of directors is pleased to announce that Markus Stoffel has taken on the role of Executive Director of the organization. Markus has been a member of Solar Oregon for many years and served on the board as treasurer for the past four years. He is best known in and around Portland as the owner of Environmental Building Supplies (EBS, now Ecohaus), a company he and his wife Abby Mages founded in 1993 and managed until 2007. Markus has been involved in the solar and green building industry since 1989 and completed many successful solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in Oregon with EBS, and more recently working directly with Stapleton Electric and Solar. Throughout his professional career, he has enjoyed leading teams and managing operations in a variety of work settings.

In 2005 Markus began the remodeling of his own home, which was featured in Solar Oregon’s Goal Net Zero tour in 2008. All of the energy for his three-person household is provided by a 6 kilowatt grid-tied PV system and a small amount of wood on gray and chilly days.

Markus is excited about leading Solar Oregon to new levels of success. Public interest in solar and energy efficiency is growing rapidly. By developing a sophisticated membership network composed of professionals, manufacturers and individuals, Solar Oregon is poised to expand and engage the solar community throughout Oregon. Solar energy is the one clean energy source that is available to almost everyone. This makes the Solar Oregon membership network inclusive and open to all. Over the next year the team at Solar Oregon will reach out across Oregon and bring education and networking tools to all who are interested in this wonderful and renewable resource.

Please visit us frequently at our website (www.solaroregon.org), which we continually improve and update with solar news, events and opportunities to get involved. Be sure to check out the growing number of Solar Professional, Solar Ambassador, Solar Star, and Solar Supporter profiles. These profiles highlight projects or businesses involved with solar or energy efficiency and offer great connections amongst members of Solar Oregon and the community at large. Most importantly, please join Solar Oregon or renew your membership and be part of this exciting network.

Organizational News Dec 2009

Current Volunteer Opportunities

We are redesigning the Solar Oregon website and would like your help! If you have experience in web site development or graphic design and would like to volunteer your time, please contact us at volunteer@solaroregon.org.

Solar Oregon is currently inviting Solar Professionals to join the
solar community! If you are interested in contacting installers and
contractors throughout Oregon by phone please e-mail
karrie@solaroregon.org.

If you are a current volunteer you have generously donated time to a
certain project, please remember to log in your hours here. The hours
you log help us with our record keeping and can help us attain
potential grants.  > Click Here for recording your hours.

Thanks!

Organizational News Nov 2009

Welcome to Karrie Hamilton!

We are excited to have Karrie help us with volunteer coordination at Solar Oregon.  Originally from Ohio, but raised in Central Florida, she is a recent Portland transplant from South Florida. Karrie has a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and has spent the last several years in a zoological setting. She has experience within several different roles from educator to volunteer manager to a marketing and development assistant. For enjoyment, Karrie likes reading, movies, art, being involved at church, traveling & hiking.

Organizational News Sept 2009

We have a new intern!

We are pleased to announce the addition of Claire Carlson to the Solar Oregon team.  She is our new Technical Writing volunteer intern and will be focused on documenting NW Solar Coop processes and Renewable Energy Credit (REC) expansion through the NW Solar Cooperative.  She brings a unique skill-set in ARC GIS geospatial, legal and grant research. We welcome Claire to our team and know she will be a major contribution to our mission of solar throughout Oregon!

Organizational News Aug 2009

Dedication and determination best describes the volunteer ‘power group’ currently building the Solar Oregon online Find A Professional database. Making calls to each Solar Oregon professional member, reviewing detailed company information and updating online information is no easy task. Having contributed over 70 volunteer hours this past month, these Volunteers make it look easy.  Amalia Nita, Kelsey Reed, Gary Bachofner, Kim Berhorst and Jessica Zahnow - thanks for helping launch the Find A Professional project. It certainly is off and running!

Ode Minton-Smith has once again created the Solar Oregon tour brochure which will be distributed throughout Oregon by each local Green and Solar volunteer tour coordinator. Click here to learn more about these tours. And remember – these tours are all operated by volunteer support.

But wait, Solar Oregon has several other volunteers too! Rod Page, Bob Sims, Barb Barasa, Laurie Dickson and Dawn Charles each helped with workshops in Bend, Medford or Salem. Ben Myers and Sandra Youngquist have assisted with data management services, many presenters have given specific Solar Workshops and the Solar Oregon volunteer board of directors have all worked hard to ‘encourage Oregonians to go solar’. To each an energetic thanks!

On July 29, 2009 the outside temperature was 107 degrees, so they tell me anyway.  Still over twenty volunteers met in the warm Solar Oregon office to learn more about the full-cycle of “going solar” and how each volunteer can participate. Sure, it was balmy in the office – but we didn’t let it stop our progress!

Wing Grabowski, the Build It Green (BIG) tour volunteer coordinator, explained how this tour, which is just a part of the state and national tour, needs volunteers to help be tour guides for the solar homes. The tour happens Sept 19, 2009 and will showcase seven solar homes as well as seven other sustainable homes.  Several meeting attendees signed up to help at this tour, but more volunteers are welcome!  Email info@SolarOregon.com if you wish to add yourself to this list.

for more information about this tour.

Kevin and Hadley, staff of Solar Oregon, presented an overview of Solar Oregon’s past, present, and future. Each covered various topics which explained the complete circle of engagement for those seeking solar as a source of energy. The meeting concluded with a list of current volunteer opportunities and conversations. Many attendees signed-up for specific projects.

The Solar Oregon team, including the volunteer board of directors, deeply appreciates the service of all volunteers. We look forward to helping you – as you help Solar Oregon!

>>Click here to learn more about the Solar Oregon volunteer opportunities

Organizational News July 2009

Green + Solar Tours and Recent Board Activities

It’s now time to look forward to the Oregon Green + Solar Tours which includes approximately fifteen communities across the state of Oregon.  Being one of the largest events of its kind in the nation, the Green + Solar Tours offers “real life” examples of the use of solar in everyday life.  Countless numbers of volunteers, home owners, business owners and staff work together to provide a tour which is informative and fun for all.

In addition to the busy activity of tours, events and workshops – the Solar Oregon Board of Directors have been working hard too. Each has been involved in presentations or activities which promote sustainable green living and going solar:

Joe Menashe, managing broker for Hasson Company Realtors on NE Broadway was one of the speakers April 16th at "Connection 2009," the national convention for multiple listing services hosted by Portland's Realtors Multiple Listing Service.  Joe spoke about Green Building and Sustainability and why it is important for multiple listing services to incorporate green and sustainable features  in search criteria for new and existing homes. Joe, who founded the Hasson Company's "Green Team" spoke about how agents can become green certified and why this specific area of expertise is no longer grass roots but becoming mainstream.  “Green” now pertains to a Realtor's required base of knowledge.  Joe believes that the Realtor community is the perfect conduit for many green organizations to help them spread their message to the home buying and selling public.

In June, Kacia Brockman completed the Leadership Portland program offered by Portland Business Alliance.  Program participants gain a broad understanding of not only how the Portland community works, but also issues that challenge the economic growth and stability of the region.  As part of the program, Kacia and others developed a network of business professionals that will interact with high school students participating in the Village Gardens and Food Works urban farming projects in North Portland.

Doug Boleyn recently joined Energy Trust of Oregon where, as Commercial Solar Program Manager, he manages Energy Trust's incentive offerings for commercial solar electric and solar water heating systems and supports development of the local solar market.

Brian Thornton has begun a new job with Pacific Northwest National Labs as a project manager and engineer supporting energy efficiency and renewables research on the national scale.

Christopher Luttkus is serving on Governor Kulongoski's Alternative Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure Work Group. The group makes recommendations regarding electric vehicles as well as those that are powered by biofuels, natural gas and hydrogen.

Mitch Dec is currently working on the Allison Inn & Spa, a project, located in Springbrook, OR pursuing LEED Gold certification.  Mitch is an engineer with Glumac, an engineering firm that employs more than 80 LEED accredited professionals.  The Allison Inn & Spa just recently installed its 56-kW (dc) photovoltaic system and more than 3,800 ft2 of solar hot water panels.

Kathy Bash, whose 1923 home continues to be a living laboratory that informs both her architectural practice and her teaching, recently completed a blower door test.  She promises the before and after test results, as well as remedies and cost proposals for reducing infiltration.  Kathy is passionate about design, efficiency and sustainability.  Her architectural perspective is that we will never 'new-build' our way out of an energy crisis, but rather need to learn how to fix our existing homes and buildings.  Stay tuned, as Kathy is sure to develop a Solar Oregon workshop to help those with or without solar systems become more energy efficient.

Susan Badger-Jones is an independent sustainable building advisor based in Joseph, OR.  Susan represents the Energy Trust of Oregon in NE Oregon assisting with ETO’s incentive programs for energy efficiency and renewables.  As part of those programs she’s helped advance numerous solar, small hydro and bio fuels projects. Last year Susan organized local groups and established the Wallowa County Renewables Weekend in connection with the Oregon Green & Solar Tour.

Bruce Barney works with all the PGE customers that have renewable generation at their home or business, as well as, a lot of outreach to help educate the interested public on renewable energy.  Bruce is in the process of building a new barn at his home made from timber collected from his property and that of his neighbors, which will then be processed on his own sawmill, (renewable and low transportation costs).

Brian Thornton has started a new job as a Senior Buildings Engineer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  He will be doing project management and energy analysis for commercial building energy efficiency research, application projects and potentially renewable energy projects to keep his hand in solar.  Projects so far include national accounts such as big box retailers, banks and hotels that have buildings across the country.  Brian is also working on Advanced Energy Design Guides (earlier version available free at ASHRAE.org) and IESNA/ASHRAE/ANSI 90.1 energy code development.
 

The Solar Oregon staff is proud to work with an active and dedicated board members group that tirelessly volunteers a great deal of time supporting and promoting solar power in Oregon.  Thanks to each of them!

Organizational News May/June 2009

Goal Net Zero Tour Success!

On Sunday May 17th, 85 people turned out to participate in this day long event dedicated to homes reaching for Net Zero Energy usage.  Highlights of the day included a 2hr workshop outlining universal strategies to attaining net zero energy usage and detailing the examples of these strategies that participants would see on the tour.  Ecoshuttles' Biodiesel powered buses took us to view three homes, each with a different strategy to net zero energy usage.  The tour included an early 1900's retrofits, a modern newly built home and one home halfway through its construction process, showing off its green and passive solar features before they are hidden in finishing touches.   Much thanks to all 25 plus sponsors, presenters, staff and volunteers that made the Goal Net Zero Tour possible. 

Organizational News April 2009

Goal Net Zero Tour being offered again this spring.

Due to the success of last years tour, Solar Oregon is putting on the Goal Net Zero Tour on May 17th, 2009 in Portland.  The tour is sponsored by Cascadia Region Green Building Council, Oregon Department of Energy, Energy Trust of Oregon, Urbansun, and the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.  With all new homes and a focus on in depth, usuable knowledge, the tour is geared towards people seriously interested in high performaning homes and the technologies and design elements featured in them.

Organizational News March 2009

Solar Oregon  prepares to offer 70+ workshops across the state in 2009 educating thousands on how to go solar.

Workshop topics will include Photovoltaics, Solar Hot water, Passive Solar design, and Solar for your Business.  Solar Oregon is collaborating with Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc., the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and Conservation Services Group in Portland.  Target locations for this years  workshops include;  Portland, Medford, Bend, Pendleton and Klamath Falls.  >>See all workshops

Organizational News Nov / Dec 2008

NW Solar Coop becomes a Solar Oregon program

For the past several years, the NW Solar Coop has purchased green tags from small PV and wind systems, putting money into the pockets of system owners. Solar Oregon is proud to assume ownership of the Coop, which was created and managed by Cascade Solar Consulting. Systems in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana are all eligible to sell green tags to the NW Solar Coop. For further information, click here.

Organizational News Oct 2008

Solar Ambassador's program announced

The new Solar Ambassador's program will connect existing homeowners with potential solar installees. If you are interested in becoming a Solar Ambassador, click here. Additional details about this program will be announced in coming weeks.

Solar Oregon Annual Meeting

This years annual meeting will have a new format and include a members-only tour of the new solar thermal system at Lucky Lab NW! More info here.

Organizational News Sept 2008

SolarWorld shows support for Solar Oregon E-Newsletter

SolarWorld has chosen to underwrite a full year of Solar Oregon's E-Newsletter.  This support helps greatly in providing news and information encouraging Oregonians to choose solar.  New offerings in the newsletter  include an 'Ask a Professional' section which will address common questions about solar.  This months topic, Oregon Department of Energy's Energy Loan Program.

>> Click here to request our E-Newsletter

Solar Oregon workshop delivery in 2008 tops 42 reaching over 2,000 people (12,000 total direct outreach including event participation)

Our goal of 58 workshops for the year is nearly complete and it is projected that we will educate over 2,500 people on how to go solar by the end of year.  In addition to these workshop offerings, by then end of 2008, Solar Oregon will have had an information table at 30 events across the state engaging over 10,000 people in an outreach effort to help them understand solar technologies and navigate the path to installing and using solar.   Additional offerings supporting this outreach effort include our website which gets 7,000 hits monthly and the E-newsletter, current subscribers = 3,500.

Organizational News August/Sept 2008

Oregon Green and Solar Tours Grant Awarded -

Oregon Department of Energy has awarded Solar Oregon a grant to support the Oregon Green and Solar Tours. This Grant provides title level sponsorship for the 2008 and 2009 Oregon Green + Solar Tours plus partial underwriting of tours in participating communities.  This grant will enable consumers to experience site tours in 13 to 20 communities throughout the state.  Solar Oregon’s role is to provide the logistical and marketing support as well as a small $500 stipend to each local host organization.

Solar Oregon’s role is unique and leverages volunteer support through a statewide network to provide solar consumer education and outreach.  They are the Oregon Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) which conducts national tour organization and marketing.

Public tours of solar homes and buildings is the single best way to market the use of solar energy in Oregon.  Oregon’s Green and Solar Tours are among the best in the nation because they are coordinated at the state level, but run by local volunteer organizations that tailor their events to the local markets.  Since 1999 the Oregon Department of Energy has assisted in the development of a statewide collaborative effort to host local public solar tours.  This effort integrates the statewide Green + Solar tours with the Green & Solar magazine that is distributed free each year.  This effort and is supported by the Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association, the Energy Trust of Oregon, the City of Portland, 3EStrategies, SolWest/EORenew, and many local utilities.

Organizational News June/July 2008

Grants awarded and New Hire -This spring, Solar Oregon was awarded grants from Meyer Memorial Trust Foundation, Laird Norton Family Foundation and Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc.  Meyer Memorial Trust and Energy Trust of Oregon have matched grant funds to help Solar Oregon develop new marketing projects designed to help Oregonians make the choice to go solar.  This funding has allowed Solar Oregon to bring on Hadley Price as Marketing and Business Development Director.  Hadley comes from a background in Information technology, database development and sales.  His breadth of knowledge in developing small businesses and his information technology background will help Solar Oregon build the infrastructure to meet the information needs of the public for solar education and outreach.  The Laird Norton Family Foundation has awarded Solar Oregon a general operating support grant in support of Solar Oregon’s work to increase the use of Solar in Oregon and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Oregon Green and Solar Tours – In 2008, Solar Oregon will once again coordinate the Oregon Green and Solar Tours.  In 2007, over 4,000 people visited 126 green and solar sites in 13 communities across Oregon.  In 2008, we are expecting 15 communities to open their doors to the public this year.   Solar Oregon’s role will be to host the tour website, conduct statewide PR, assist community tours with logistical support, produce the tour section  in Green + Solar Building Oregon magazine and produce a Statewide Tour brochure.   Solar Oregon also acquires sponsorship for this event in an effort to provide stipends to each of the tour communities in support of their local efforts.

Goal Net Zero Home Tour Success - The 2008 Goal Net Zero Home Tour, conducted on May 3^rd 2008, was a huge success! Approximately 90 people turned out for this full day event which included a networking session, 2hr workshop, lunch and tour of 4 homes in the Portland reaching for Net Zero Energy use. The homes on this tour received quite a bit of publicity from Wired Magazine to the Oregonian and KATU news.   Highlights of the tour included Christopher Dymond and Doug Boleyn's co-presentation on getting to Net zero and an examination of four very different homes and their approach to Net Zero energy use.Christopher presented information on high performance homes, cost effective energy efficiency measures and tax incentives.Doug covered the specific and unique ways each of the homes approached their goals of Net Zero energy use.  Participants at this event were encouraged to 'play along' by calculating their own Energy Use Index for comparison with the homes on the tour.

Oregon Builds a Solar Forest - Rainy Oregon turns out to have better solar resources than Germany or Japan - and it's become a hotbed of solar development. Click Here to read the complete article by Michael VanDerwater, Executive Director, Solar Oregon.

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