BEF is a 501 (c)( 3) non profit foundation located in Portland, Oregon

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1 The Bonneville Environmental Foundation { Solutions- Energy, Carbon and Water } Dick Wanderscheid NEBC Energy Futures, Portland, Or April 16, 2015 BEF is a 501 (c)( 3) non profit foundation located in Portland, Oregon 1

2 A Different Kind of Foundation The Self Sustaining Kind partnering with Companies, Individuals, Universities, Sports Teams, Utilities Renewable Energy Certificates Carbon Offsets Water Restoration Certificates Solar 4R Schools, Renewable Energy Projects Watershed Restoration Projects, Flow Projects Bonneville Environmental Foundation is in the middle of 10 year agreement with the Bonneville Power Administration. Objective: Complement BPA s Mission with respect to renewable resources, energy education, energy efficiency, fish and wildlife enhancements, watershed improvements, and technology improvements 2

3 { energy } renewable energy project consulting Moving new technologies forward Advancing on-site energy development A trusted utility advisor Community-owned renewable energy consulting { energy } Community Solar project consulting BEF is currently working with 12 Public Utilities located in the Pacific NW. 3

4 The Power of Legislation Due to a unique law in Washington state - Community Solar is enjoying significant growth. BEF is currently working with six utilities in Washington on utility sponsored projects. These utilities are: Seattle City Light (5 projects completed- 5 more planned) Clark PUD (5 projects planned) Orcas Power and Light (4 projects planned) Peninsula Light Company Mason County PUD #3 Benton PUD 4

5 Oregon has two cooperative Utilities that are launching Community Solar projects Lane Electric Coop in Eugene Central Electric Coop in Redmond Montana has three cooperative Utilities that are launching Community Solar projects Flathead Electric Coop in Kalispell Missoula Electric Coop in Missoula Ravalli Electric Coop in Corvallis 5

6 BEF is also working with an Lower Valley Energy, City of Jackson, Wyoming and Teton County on a Community Project in Wyoming What all of these projects have in common are: They will be built, owned and maintained by the utility. The utility will provide a fixed long term length of output from the system. The utility will virtually net meter the system by providing bill credits to participants on a monthly or yearly basis. 6

7 In Oregon we have recently begun exploring what we hope might be a game changer. Due to the work of OREP passage of SB 1520 in 2014 opened the door to expanding Community Projects. This bill : Allowed community renewable projects to be exempt from some State security laws. Allowed projects which included investments from not accredited investors not exceeding $750,000 per project to be exempt from security registration. While this legislation removed a significant barrier more exist Each individual project needs to start from scratch and essentially reinvent the wheel Community groups don t usually have solar energy expertise A means of providing for ongoing long term monetary payments or credits to project participants is a difficult task for community groups 7

8 How can we overcome these barriers? BEF and Energy Trust of Oregon are working with a group of engaged citizens on creating a statewide Oregon Renewable Energy Cooperative that can eliminate many of these obstacles. Next Steps This statewide cooperative could allow individual projects to be built under their umbrella and could eliminate some of the barriers previously described. BEF and ETO are supporting creation of the Coop s bylaws and providing some short term operational support to launch this idea. 8

9 Next Steps If we can successfully implement this project in Oregon, BEF hopes to replicate it in the other NW states of the region where to find us: Dick Wanderscheid Vice President Renewable Energy Group direct main b-e-f.org 9