OSF Community Solar Project

The OSF Community Solar Project is our pilot and is located on the roof of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Production Building in Talent.  When we started this project in early 2019, we were not aware of the level of interest that our community would show in this type of endeavor.  In order to qualify for “Community Solar” designation in the state of Oregon, we needed to build something no smaller than 25 kW.  In March, 2020, we launched a campaign to enroll a sufficient number of participants to meet what we thought would be an aggressive target of 60 kW. To our surprise, the community response was incredible!  We maxed out the OSF building’s available roof space at 141.18 kW and still had more applicants in the queue!  This encourages us to start the next project as soon as we can.

The project provides 10% of the energy it generates to three low-income families at a significant discount.  This helps them transform their homes to clean, renewable energy too.  Without the help from this project, our low income neighbors would not be able to access solar energy.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Solarize Rogue and Oregon Clean Power Coop Celebrate Launch of the OSF Community Solar Project

On 28 July 2022 we celebrated the launch of the OSF Community Solar project, which went live on 14 MAR 2022.  Several dignitaries and members of the community gathered over Zoom to rejoice on the achievements of the four-way partnership between OSF, Solarize Rogue, Oregon Clean Power Coop and the community.  Below are excerpts of the comments made during the event:

Ray Sanchez-Pescador, President Solarize Rogue: “We are excited to have achieved something nobody else has in the State of Oregon: a truly Community Solar project, where community members own the panels that power their homes.  We hope that the completion of this small pilot will serve as an example for many others like it yet to come.  This project took almost 4 years to complete, but as of today it has already generated over $10,000 in bill credits for its participants and cheaper energy for the low-income families we are privileged to serve.  We are thrilled that OSF shares our commitment to the environment and honored that they allowed us to install this Community Solar project on the roof of their Production building in Talent. We are honored by the trust that 16 community members placed on us and extremely grateful that we were able to turn this project into reality.”

David Schmitz, Executive Director Oregon Shakespeare Festival:  “OSF is honored to have participated in this important project.  We see it as our small way to give back to the community.  Solarize Rogue and the Oregon Clean Power Coop have been fantastic partners to us as we expand our already impressive solar infrastructure with concrete solutions actually based on action.”

Eleanor Ponomareff, Talent City Council President:  “This project represents a model of what can be accomplished when the community works together and provides proof of hope in a community devastated by the 2020 Almeda Fire.

Ryan Cook, Oregon Community Solar Program Administrator, Energy Trust of Oregon:  “This project has established a pathway for future projects in Oregon.  Our goal is to provide 150 megawatts of Community Solar projects.  Among all the projects built or currently in development, this one stands out as a rare achievement.  I hope there will be more like it.”

Pam Marsh, Oregon State Representative:  “Climate change was my first priority when I ran for the Oregon House in 2016.  In a rural region, changing conditions are obvious in the decreasing snowpack, sustained drought, shifting habitat — and wildfire.  In 2020, the Almeda fire destroyed 2500 homes in our community.  We know that climate change is real, present, and targeting our most vulnerable neighbors.  The Solarize Rogue project has provided a tangible means for residents to be positively involved in moving our community toward renewable energy.  This is an incredible contribution to help us understand that we control our own future.  I’m immensely proud of the individuals who spent years working on this project and enabling Talent to be home to the state’s first participant owned solar project.”

Jeff Golden, Oregon State Senator:  “This project is like a trimtab — not large but impactful in changing the direction of events.”  You can watch Jeff’s comments in this video clip.

Alan Journet, Executive Director, Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN): “A valuable mechanism for promoting the transition to renewable energy is for us individually to generate our own electricity whenever we can. Those of us lucky enough to have the roof orientation and wherewithal to do so can certainly install our own solar panels. But those of us lacking either of these attributes can now seek a community solar project in which to invest. While these projects do not provide us with renewable energy directly, they serve the purpose of greening the grid by replacing the electricity we use.  In the face of immense challenges, combined with the commitment of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Southern Oregon can now boast statewide leadership in making solar generation a reality for residents throughout the region.”

Bridget Callahan, Senior Energy Program Manager, Sustainable Northwest: “The OSF Community Solar Project is a testament to a community coming together and getting things done. Being one of the first community solar projects out of the gate through Oregon’s newly established program, it had nearly every curve ball thrown its way. And time and again Solarize Rogue and their partners found a pathway forward. Because of this project, the program as a whole has improved and become more amenable. New pathways and resources have been developed and deployed to accommodate future projects, increasing the impact and benefit of community solar throughout Oregon. This project was a true trailblazer, and we are grateful and honored to have been a part of its creation.”

Alessandra de la Torre, Advocacy and Programs Director, Rogue Climate: “Two low income families are very happy to be receiving energy from this project at a discount.  They want to know when their neighbors, friends and relatives will be able to sign up too.”

Jim Hartman, President, Ashland Solar Coop, Project Participant: “We need to do everything we can to avoid the consequences of climate change.  This is a great step forward.”

Jane Bardin, Project Participant: “Every time you get your bill from Pacific Power it makes you feel like you are really doing something about the environment.”

Dan Orzech, General Manager, Oregon Clean Power Coop: “We are not stopping here.  There are several other projects being developed in the area that we hope will provide renewable energy to Oregon residents.”