Renewables

What is Renewable or “Green Power?”

Renewable or “green” power is a term used for the electricity or power that is produced by a renewable or “green” generation facility. Facilities that minimize or eliminate contributions to green-house gasses and climate change. Facilities that do not add noxious or harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Examples of “green” or renewable systems are hydro, solar, photovoltaic, wind, methane production through land gassification and wave or tidal systems.

Lane Electric is one of a group of Oregon electric co-ops who have joined forces to offer “green” or renewable electrity to their members. Annual contributions to the Bonneville Environmental Fund (BEF) have been made by Lane Electric for the research and development of new renewable or “green” resources for many years. Lane Electric is involved with some of the new “green” projects that have been developed recently.

Activity in Lane Electric's Service Area

As of July 2011, 29 net-metering, photovoltaic (PV) projects have been installed in our service area, including a 4,000 watt (4kW) PV system at the Oakridge Elementary School and a 14,000 watt (14.0 kW) system in our west area. To date, 97,200 watts (97.2 kW) have been connected to Lane Electric's distribution system and have the capacity to generate over 850,000 kilowatt-hours annually - enough electricity to power 52 homes for one year.

Lane Electric is always interested in looking at and evaluating new and exciting “green” opportunities - among them, wave energy, geo-thermal generation, wind production and, solar generation. Make no mistake, while renewable energy is a good idea, the cost of generating this “green” or renewable energy is higher than the energy generated by the dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. In fact, on a blended basis, green power can cost as much as three times more.
 

MemberChoice Green-Power Program

How can I participate?

When you subscribe to our MemberChoice Program, you may purchase “blocks” of “green” kilowatt-hours.

  • Each “block” represents 100 kWh that have been generated or produces from a qualified green or renewable resource, i.e., solar, wind, PV, hydro, etc.
     
  • Each "block" purchased adds an additional $2.00 on your electric bill. In addition to your regular monthly electric bill, you will also see a line item charge for “MemberChoice” on your bill.

Your monthly bill from Lane Electric will clearly reflect your support of renewable energy.

How many "blocks" can I buy?

If you are interested, you may sign up to purchase as little as 1 block of “green power” or you may buy green power blocks (100 kWh each) equal to what your monthly average electrical usage is. If, for example, your average monthly electrical use is 1500 kWh, you are eligible to buy up to 15 blocks of green power. Remember, each block of green power costs $2 so using this example, an additional $30 would be added to your electric bill for green power.

You may subscribe to as many blocks as you like by completing the accompanying Member Choice request form.

Download Member Choice Form

To sign up for the Member Choice program, you can return the completed form with your electric bill or call 484-1151 and speak to one of our Customer Service Representatives about signing up.

 

Solar System Loans/Rebates/Incentives

Lane Electric offers:

 A $500 rebate for the installation of Oregon Department of Energy's (ODOE) tax credit qualified and approved solar water heaters.

A $1/Watt rebate for ODOE tax credit and approved residential solar photovoltaic systems up to a maximum of $4,000.

A Zero percent (0%) loan available for photovoltaic (PV) and/or solar water heating systems up to a maximum of $9,000 (OAC).

NOTE: Other renewable energy systems may qualify. Contact Lane Electric's Energy Services Department at 541.484.1151 for more details. 

 

Oakridge Elementary School - Solar PV Array

As part of Lane Electric’s commitment to conservation and renewable energy, a 4kW (4000 watt) photovoltaic (PV) solar system was donated and installed on the Oakridge Elementary School in an effort to provide students, faculty and general public the opportunity to monitor and learn how renewable energy can be helpful to the school and the environment.

Information from the Oakridge Elementary School Solar Demonstration Project is operational and available online for your review. You are able to look at how the PV system is operating on a real-time basis, historically or, by the day, week, month or year. Take a look and see how the system works and performs in Oakridge.