Oregon launches statewide energy efficiency program

Oregon has launched its Clean Energy Works program statewide, as well as the successful completion of its pilot project in the city of Portland. The pilot project reached its goal of 500 energy-efficiency home upgrades and supported over 350 jobs.

Due to the enthusiastic response to the pilot program, Clean Energy Works Oregon is expanding the program to 17 communities throughout the state. In the next three years, Clean Energy Works Oregon anticipates enrolling 6,000 Oregon homes in the program, significantly increasing energy savings and spurring the support of 1,300 new quality jobs through 2013.

Clean Energy Works Oregon (CEWO) is a new non-profit organisation established to finance and deliver an energy-efficiency building retrofit program aimed at supporting jobs while increasing energy savings. CEWO offers loans that customers can repay through utility bills and streamlined installations of energy-efficiency upgrades. The non-profit expects to leverage a $20 million grant provided by the Recovery Act, also known as the Stimulus Plan, into $120 million of economic activity.

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