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June 2013
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| THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY OUR GENEROUS SPONSOR: |
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Thanks to our new and renewing Professional Members and Solar Supporters!
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| Solar Ambassadors |
Quinn/Schmidt Home
 Summer Lake
Two story, 1500 SF, two bedroom one bath house with bedrooms on the ground floor and living space above making it easier to heat the living space and keep the bedrooms cool. We have an efficient wood stove for supplemental heat upstairs.
Evacuated tube solar collector with a hot water drain back tank heating domestic hot water and water for solar radiant floor heat on the main floor with electric backup. The solar collector is ground mounted and angled for maximum efficiency in winter.
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| Volunteer for Solar Oregon! |
 Interested in volunteering for our in-school energy education program? Contact Emily Krafft at emily@solaroregon.org.
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Stay up to date on solar news and events by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!
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Introducing Solar Forward: Where community energy meets crowdfunding
The City of Portland has been awarded grant funds from the Oregon Community Foundation's Penstemon Fund in the amount of $100,000. These funds will enable the installation of a solar electric system on Portland Parks & Recreation's Southwest Community Center.
The goal of this pilot is to encourage community members to contribute and launch Portland's first revolving community solar fund, Solar Forward. In return, all of the contributors receive permanent recognition at the host site and the feel-good benefit of paying it forward. Within six years, Solar Forward will be able to finance the installation of a second system.
Contribution details:
- A tax-deductible contribution of any amount will help seed the fund.
- Give $500 or more and the City of Portland will return your contribution in full (0% interest) in six years.
- Contributions will help build more systems by launching the Solar Forward revolving loan fund.
- Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.
- Contributors will receive permanent recognition, but not ownership of solar panel.
- Due to current utility regulations in Oregon, community contributors are not able to receive their electricity or a bill credit for the energy generation from this installation.
Project partners: Portland Parks & Recreation and Solar Oregon.
To learn more about the Solar Forward program and to contribute >>click here
To volunteer for Solar Forward >>click here
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Solar Oregon Welcomes New Board Members!
Five new members joined the Board of Directors at Solar Oregon this month. They bring with them a wealth of experience and fresh energy and perspectives. Welcome Andria Jacob, Zach Henkin, Nay Shayan, Michael O'Brian and Norma Dulin!
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This Spring the Solar Oregon team welcomed Ada Hays as our new bookkeeper. Ada is excited to be on Solar Oregon's team and is looking forward to learning all she can about the potential of solar energy. She has worked in bookkeeping in non-profits and restaurants for eight years. She moved here from Massachusetts in 2009, where she graduated from UMass Amherst in politics and economics. Ada enjoyed working at a social economic justice advocacy and a soup kitchen on the east coast. When she's not at work, she's harvesting the sun's energy into her garden and soaking it up while hiking.
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Air conditions in Beijing on June 25th
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Solar Oregon President Ron McDowell comments on President Obama's speech on Climate Change - June 25, 2013
By Ron "Mac" McDowell, Solar Oregon Board President
Originally Featured in Sustainable Business Oregon's Voices Blog
Today, rather quietly in front of a small audience at Georgetown University, President Obama announced he's issuing a presidential memorandum to launch the first-ever federal regulations on carbon dioxide emitted by existing power plants. He articulated that his climate strategy will focus on three key areas: cutting the amount of carbon pollution in the U.S., preparing the country for the long-term effects of climate change, and leading global efforts to combat it.
Speaking to a predominately student audience, the President said, "I refuse to condemn your generation and future generations to a planet that is beyond fixing ... I'm here to enlist your generation's help in keeping the USA a leader, a global leader, in the fight against climate change."
It was fitting that President Obama chose to give his speech before a group of young people who face a daunting future.
"It was important for me to speak directly to your generation", Obama said, "because the decisions we make now, and in the years ahead, will have a profound impact on the world that all of you inherit." He continued, "The question is not whether we need to act ... the overwhelming judgment of science has put all that to rest. So, the question now is whether we will have the courage to act before it's too late. And, how we answer will have a profound impact on the world we leave behind, not just to you, but to your children and to your grandchildren. As a President, as a father, and as an American, I'm here to say - we need to act!"
>>click here to continue
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Oregon Changes Siting Rules for Commercial Solar
By David J. Petersen, Solar Oregon Board Member
Governor Kitzhaber recently signed House Bill 2820, which makes important changes to how solar PV facilities are sited in Oregon. Previously, the state Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) only had jurisdiction over a solar generation facility with a nominal capacity of 105 MW or more, or on more than 100 acres. Currently, the largest operating solar facility in Oregon is just under 6 MW nominal capacity. As such, it is perhaps not surprising to hear that EFSC has yet to issue permits for a single solar facility. Instead, solar facilities have been permitted exclusively at the County level, but subject to statewide siting restrictions set forth in administrative rules of the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD).
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Solar Drinks visits Lake Oswego with John Audley as Speaker
July 16th
This month join us at the home of solar supporter David Brown as we sip cool refreshments and hear from John Audley who has just announced his transition from Oregon Department of Energy to take the leadership of Sustainable Northwest. John will speak about his views about how solar can fit into a sustainable rural Oregon.
 Thanks to this month's sponsor!
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SolWest Fair - John Day - July 26th - 28th 
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Upcoming Events
Email us to let us know where you would like more solar energy education in Oregon
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