Solarize Rogue, in partnership with Recology of Ashland and the Oregon Clean Power Coop is developing a Community Solar project to provide solar energy to low-income residents in the City of Talent.

Talent is a rural community of approximately 6,000 residents located about 15 miles south of Medford, OR, a community of roughly 100,000 inhabitants.  Due to its rural location, size, and average income level, Talent represents a “qualifying community.”  The goal for this project is to provide clean, renewable and locally generated energy to low-income families in Talent at a 40% discount.  The PV Solar system itself will be located about 5 miles from Talent, in the south end of the Rogue Valley.

If we are successful, the 1.25 MW project will be built on a 120-acre parcel owned by Recology and located at 3000 North Valley View Road in Ashland, about 2 miles east of I-5 and the City of Talent and is forecasted to produce 2,291,000 kWh per year. On the west side of the parcel is an approximately 20-acre landfill that has been closed since 1998.  As a 100% employee-owned company that is committed to sustainability, Recology is seeking a use for the land which benefits the local community.

In 2019 the City of Talent incorporated an Energy element into its 20-year Comprehensive Plan.  Talent is one of the first cities in Oregon to approve direct actions towards a cleaner and safer environment.  As stated in the Energy Element, the City of Talent aims to:

  • Reduce energy consumption by 30% from 2015 levels.
  • Achieve 100% clean energy renewable energy source for Talent by 2030 while keeping prices affordable and preserving our rural quality of life.
  • Protect the community from the increasing costs of energy by transitioning off of fossil fuels to reliable, renewable energy sources.
  • Strengthen Talent’s local economy by keeping dollars spent and dollars saved on energy in the community.

Given that 75% of Talent’s energy use comes from the residential sector and that the households most burdened by rising energy costs are lower-income households, this proposed project helps the Talent community meet several of its energy goals. Specifically, installing solar panels at the Valley View Transfer Station and using the energy generated to offset the utility bills of approximately 450 low-income households, will:

  • Shift 15% of our households to a clean energy source.
  • Keep electrical prices affordable for those households that are most vulnerable to the impacts of rising energy costs.
  • Strengthen our local economy by freeing up dollars that would have been spent on an energy bill.

The project will be funded in part by grant money.  We will be looking for Community Financing/Investors to cover the remaining costs.  Please contact us if you want to help fund this project.