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Small-scale distributed renewable energy and energy efficiency provide opportunities for communities to foster viable economies and energy security while mitigating and preparing for global warming.

Our Strategy

  • We develop and administer model community engagement programs to increase demand for efficiency and small-scale renewable energy projects.
  • We work to increase supply side offerings of renewable energy and efficiency through new delivery models and a more effective workforce.
  • We provide technical assistance and develop tools to facilitate project development.
  • We develop partnerships with allied businesses and institutions to provide more in-depth, site-specific assistance, such as feasibility studies and business planning.
  • We analyze renewable energy policies and incentives that can lead to the development of efficient, distributed renewable energy that benefit rural and urban communities. 

Projects

Energize Oregon  |  Green Shares Corvallis  |  Solarize Eugene  |  Community Solar Tool

Model Programs

Energize Oregon

Energize Oregon is collaborative project between The Resource Innovation Group and Northwest SEED connecting farmers with field experts and providing them with new tools to overcome the barriers to the widespread adoption of clean energy technologies. The program is targeted towards agricultural producers in the following Oregon counties: Lane, Lincoln, Benton, Linn, Polk, Marion, Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, and Yamhill. Specific project goals are to:

  • establish an affordable, usable implementation model to assist agricultural producers in the adoption of energy efficiency and clean energy measures
  • connect producers with financial and technical resources available for energy efficiency and clean energy development
  • increase collaboration and facilitate the work of organizations currently operating in on-farm energy and agriculture production in rural communities
  • provide a model that is scalable and replicable for farmers and ranchers in rural communities across the country

 View the online  Rural Renewable Energy Tool that TRIG developed for the project.

Green Shares Corvallis

Green Shares Corvallis is part of the larger Energize Corvallis collaborative program run by the City of Corvallis, Corvallis Environmental Center, Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, The Resource Innovation Group, and Oregon State University Extension Service of Benton County. The Green Shares program works with contractors to help them prompt and encourage energy-smart behaviors from their customers.  Green Shares provides free marketing, training, resources and tools for participating contractors. In exchange, contractors commit to providing bids and information to their customers on energy efficient options.  

 

Solarize Eugene

Solarize Eugene was a limited time, community effort, coordinated by The Resource Innovation Group (TRIG), designed to give residents a simplified, cost-effective way to install lower cost solar through the bulk purchase of solar electric and solar hot water panels in the spring of 2012. Solarize Eugene was based on a highly effective model that has dramatically increased solar installations statewide.  

During the three month registration period, 262 households signed up to participate in Solarize Eugene, while more than 325 people attended solar workshops (such as the one pictured). Solarize Eugene contributed significantly to the record 95 systems to be installed in 2012 in EWEB’s service area, with more expected in 2013 as more incentives become available.

First Solarize Eugene Workshop, © Kevin Matthews/ArtificeImages

"Your work on this has kept electricians working, allowing them to feed their families and continue their education."

-Jeremiah Chavez, Energy Design, Solarize Eugene installer

 Read the final report here and find out about Solarize Eugene news coverage, FAQs, and more on the Solarize Eugene page.

Technical Assistance

Community Solar Tool

A number of communities around the US have become interested in starting community solar projects, but how do you go about figuring out all of the many details to put a project like this into place?  Now you can use the Community Solar Tool (CST) to estimate project costs, refine the project structure, assess administrative and legal needs, and locate templates to help you get your project going.  The Resource Innovation Group staff worked with the University of Oregon to create the CST to support the development of community-owned "solar garden" projects. Visit the online decision support tool at http://communitysolartool.b-e-f.org. 

Sarah Mazze, Project Manager, conducted an in-depth webinar on 1/23/13 discussing the CST, which you can view by clicking here. Alternatively, you may also access the webinar recording  here by following the link and clicking the 'playback' button.