As the new home of OSPIRG's environmental work, Environment Oregon can be contacted regarding this news release.SALEM—As
the final hours ticked off the clock, a small but noteworthy provision
to expand the use of solar energy in Oregon made the final list of
bills enacted by the 2005 Oregon legislature. The measure quadruples
the size of a solar electric system for which a owner can earn a tax
credit.
“Legislators
from both parties embraced a clean energy future for Oregon,” said
Jeremiah Baumann, OSPIRG’s clean energy advocate. “Solar energy not
only cuts global warming pollution from our energy supply, but also
boosts Oregon’s economy by replacing out-of-state fossil fuels with
homegrown energy.”
Oregon
gets enough sunshine to power all of its energy needs. Southern,
Central, and Eastern Oregon get as much sun as Southern California, and
even our rainiest areas get more sunshine than Germany, one of the
current world leaders in solar power generation. Oregon currently ranks
9th for share of the solar energy market, but with worldwide demand at
all-time high, many states, including California and Washington, are
moving dramatically to expand solar energy incentives and attract
industry to expand their share.
Under
current Oregon law, homeowners earn a tax credit $3 per watt of solar
generating capacity they install and they can install up to 500 watts
in a given year, for $1,500 tax credit. However, many solar electric
systems are larger than 500 watts, meaning homeowners can only receive
partial credit. The legislature lifted the ceiling to 2000 watts so
that homeowners can get full credit for larger systems. To save the
government money, homeowners would take the $6,000 in tax credits over
four years.
Jon
Miller, executive director of Oregon Solar Energy Industries
Association, called the measure “an integral part of Oregon’s strategy
to attract renewable energy manufacturers to Oregon and create local
clean energy jobs.” He said the legislature’s move “takes solar energy
seriously and shows an understanding that jobs, economy, and
environmental responsibility can work together for the benefit of all
Oregonians.”
Senator
Ben Westlund (R-Bend) and Frank Shields (D-Portland) spearheaded the
effort to pass the solar tax credit expansion, which passed as part of
a bill that also ultimately contained larger tax packages, including
the provisions connecting Oregon’s tax policy to the federal tax code.
OSPIRG worked with Oregon Citizens Utility Board and Oregon Solar
Energy Industries Association to support the bill.
