Oregon Energy Summary
This page provides a summary of energy in Oregon. Here you will find an overview of energy consumption, listing of energy efficiency goals under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), a summary of the status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies, and a list of political leaders and state agency administrators who shape energy policy for Oregon. You can link to the following subheadings on this page:
- Executive summary
- Economic and demographic facts that affect energy consumption
- Status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies
Executive Summary
Total Energy Consumption per Capita 1980 - 2005 and EPAct Goal for Oregon
(million Btu)
Section 123 of EPAct requires states to set an energy conservation goal that is 25% below 1990 consumption. DOE is currently considering a per capita goal among other options.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration State Energy Price, Expenditure, and Consumption Estimates (SEDS) database. Note, that 2005 is the latest year for which state-by-state data is available.
Oregon has minimal reserves of fossil fuels, but has substantial electricity generation—accounting for 50% of the state's total— from conventional hydropower facilities. Like all of California's neighbors, Oregon exports electricity to California.
Read a more complete energy summary for Oregon, including consumption and production statistics for fossil fuels on the DOE Energy Information Administration (EIA) Oregon Energy Profile.
| Total energy consumption per capita | 302 (million Btu) |
State rank | 40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPAct per capita goal for 2012 | 260.9 (million Btu) |
State rank | 25 |
| Average annual increase in total energy consumption | -0.7% | State rank | 47 |
Electricity
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation
(trillion Btu)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
| Annual growth of electricity consumption | 0.8% | State rank | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from nonhydro renewable energy | 1,849 (million kWh) |
State rank | 17 |
Oregon has a deregulated competitive market for electric power. Electricity consumption is growing at 0.8% per year, which is about one-third the national average. The state population is growing at 1.2% per year, which is slightly higher than the national average. As a result, per capita electricity consumption is growing more slowly than most states.
Oregon contains significant renewable energy resources from biomass and wind. Currently, the state ranks 21st among states with electricity production from biomass. And Oregon state ranks 23rd in wind energy potential. According to the American Wind Energy Association, the state had 888 megawatts of wind energy capacity installed at the beginning of 2008, with another 201 megawatts under construction. Read more Oregon electric power and renewable energy statistics published by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Transportation
Motor Gasoline Consumption per Capita 1980 - 2005
(gallons)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
Transportation accounts for 30% of all energy consumption in Oregon, which makes it the largest energy-consuming sector of the state economy. You can find data about the consumption of alternative fuels in Oregon from the DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center.
| Motor gasoline consumption per capita | 434 (gallons) |
State rank | 42 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethanol consumption | 30,989,062 (gallons) |
State rank | 27 |
| Number of alternative fuel stations | 93 | State rank | 18 |
| Population | 3,630,000 | State rank | 27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent urban population | 70.2% | State rank | 26 |
| Annual population growth rate | 1.2% | State rank | 17 |
| Per capita personal income | $32,289 | State rank | 29 |
| Gross state product | $151,301 (million) |
State rank | 26 |
Economic and Demographic Facts that Affect Energy Consumption
The following statistics for Oregon put energy consumption into perspective in the context of the state economy and the size and growth of the population.
Status of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies
Oregon has the following state-level policies and incentives in place that support the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The links give detailed explanations of the policies and incentives published online by the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency:
Building energy codes for energy efficiency
Oregon developed its own mandatory, statewide building energy codes for residential and commercial buildings. The state's residential code is based on the 2003 International Building Code, and the state's commercial code is based on ASHRAE 90.1-2004.
Corporate tax credits for renewable energy
The state offers a business energy tax credit for investments in energy conservation, recycling, renewable energy resources, or alternative transportation fuels.
Grants for renewable energy
The state has a grant program designed to support renewable energy projects that do not already have an established incentive from the Energy Trust of Oregon.
Loans for energy efficiency
Oregon offers low-interest loans for projects that save energy; produce energy from renewable resources such as water, wind, geothermal, solar, biomass, waste materials or waste heat; use alternative fuels; and reduce energy consumption during construction or operation of another facility.
Personal tax credits for renewable energy
The state offers a residential energy tax credit for investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
Public benefits funds for energy efficiency
Pacific Power and Portland General Electric collect a 3% public-purpose charge from their customers, 67% of which must be allocated towards energy efficiency programs.
Public benefits funds for renewable energy
The same utilities—Pacific Power and Portland General Electric—must allocate 17% of the public-purpose charge to renewable energy programs.
Rebates for energy efficiency
The Energy Trust of Oregon administers four rebate programs for energy efficiency. The different programs support commercial new construction, efficiency projects in existing commercial buildings, efficiency improvements in single-family homes, and efficiency improvements in multi-family residential buildings. Additionally, the Oregon Department of Energy administers the State Home Oil Weatherization program to improve the efficiency of homes that heat with oil, propane, kerosene, butane or wood.
Rebates for renewable energy
The Energy Trust of Oregon administers three rebate programs which provide incentives, respectively, for wind, solar electric, and solar water heating systems
Renewable portfolio standard for renewable energy
Oregon requires that electric utilities with 3% or more of the state's load to obtain 25% of the electricity sold to retail customers in Oregon from renewable energy resources by 2025.
State standards for public buildings for energy efficiency
All state facilities must exceed the energy conservation provisions of the Oregon State Building Code by 20% or more. And all public building projects must dedicate at least 1.5% of the project’s cost to including solar technologies.
