Report highlights two Oregon energy efficiency programs

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Two energy efficiency programs in Oregon were held up as examples of sustainable funding models.

A new report out from the American Council for Energy Efficient Economy highlights two Oregon programs as sustainable funding models for energy efficiency.

Portland-based Clean Energy Works Oregon and Eugene's Energy Management Program were both reviewed in the report which makes the case for continuing to fund efforts to make it easy for residents to upgrade their home energy efficiency.

While federal and grand funds to support these programs are dwindling, the programs are lowering overall energy demands, reducing utility bills and creating local jobs to do the work of overhauling homes for better efficiency.

The report released this week, "Keeping it in the Community: Sustainable Funding for Local Energy Efficiency Initiatives," covers case studies of programs that have landed on stable funding models.

The report cites the following Oregon examples:

• Eugene's Energy Management Program which borrowed $2 million from the City of Eugene's Fleet Fund, originally intended for government vehicles and equipment, to implement energy efficiency improvements across city departments. The energy savings are used to repay the loan.

• Clean Energy Works Oregon established a revolving loan fund that is recapitalized through customer payments. Homeowners who participate in the program are able to repay the upfront costs of weatherization through incremental charges added to their utility bills. The report recognizes the program's innovation, which resulted in $20 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.