Smart Energy: Energy Trust now serving Avista customers in Douglas County

By Karen Chase

As of the new year, Energy Trust of Oregon’s full range of energy-efficiency services and programs are available to help Avista residential and eligible business customers in Douglas County save natural gas and lower utility bills. Energy Trust now serves Oregon customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista.

Southern Oregon customers of Pacific Power already have access to cash incentives and expertise offered by Energy Trust. To date, Energy Trust has worked with almost 14,000 business and residential Pacific Power customer locations in Douglas County, helping them save more than $8 million annually in utility bills. Now Energy Trust can help customers served by both Pacific Power and Avista save even more energy and money with comprehensive support to lower electricity and natural gas use.

Homeowners can visit www.energytrust.org/home to find one of Energy Trust’s trusted trade ally contractors, learn about cash incentives for upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, heating, insulation, water heating, windows and lighting. Homeowners and renters can order free, customized Energy Saver Kits with efficient LEDs, shower heads and faucet aerators to start saving energy right away.

Businesses of all types and sizes can visit www.energytrust.org/commercial to access technical expertise and cash incentives for improving their equipment, from boilers and computer equipment, to lighting and heating.

Douglas Electric Cooperative members will continue to receive electric energy efficiency information, services and incentives through the co-op. Douglas Electric Cooperative is a private, nonprofit, electric utility owned by the members it serves and governed by a member-elected board of directors.

Energy Trust, Avista, Pacific Power and Douglas Electric Cooperative are participating members of Douglas County Smart Energy, a collaborative effort between local utilities, nonprofits, business and community members to help Douglas County residents reduce energy use. An AmeriCorps Resource Assistance for Rural Environments intern, Nicole Mandall, supports the effort by organizing Energize Douglas County series of town hall talks to educate the public about energy efficiency.

Energy Trust and Douglas Electric worked with Douglas County Smart Energy and nonprofit Sustainable Northwest to offer the Making Energy Work for Rural Oregon workshop held last spring, and the Fall Energy Symposium, both in Roseburg. In January 2017, Douglas County Smart Energy helped host a Southwest Oregon regional meeting on solar energy generation with a focus on solar power options for low- and moderate-income residents.

All of these energy-related events, resources and educational opportunities for Douglas County residents and businesses showcase this region’s smart energy leadership. Visit Douglas County Smart Energy at www.dcsmartenergy.org to learn more about local events. Visit Energy Trust of Oregon at www.energytrust.org to find more information about cash incentives.

Karen Chase is the Southern Oregon Outreach Manager for Energy Trust of Oregon. For tips on other ways to save and produce energy, visit dcsmartenergy.org

Douglas County Smart Energy is a project of the Douglas County Global Warming Coalition. For more information about the Coalition, call 541-672-9819 or find them on Facebook at DCSmartEnergy.com