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About Oregonians for Renewable Energy Progress

NOTE: OREP has closed it's doors and is no longer an active renewable energy advocacy organization. While we are no longer active, we chose to leave our website up for the value of the information gathered, and as an archive of renewable energy feed-in tariff policy development in Oregon, and renewable energy growth in general.


 

How We Began:

OREP was formed in December 2008 by a group of Oregonians wanting to take an active role in the transition from fossil fuels by producing solar energy in our neighborhoods.  We had heard that renewable energy production in Germany was growing rapidly, driven by a new policy called a Feed-In Tariff (FIT).

What caught our attention was that the number of solar panels on rooftops in Germany had grown exponentially since FIT policies were adopted there in 2001. Researching further, we found mounting evidence that the FIT model is by far the best method for accelerating the deployment of renewable energy and creating jobs in the renewable energy sector.

So we committed ourselves to bringing good Feed-In Tariff policies to Oregon. Orginally OREP stood for Oregonians for Renewable Energy Policy and was a sponsored project of the Alliance for Democracy focused predominantly on FIT policy. As our organization grew along with our understanding of the complexity of the US energy system and how electricity is delivered here in the Pacific Northwest, in 2013 we formed a new, independent organization and changed our name to Oregonians for Renewable Energy Progress.

Why We Advocate for Feed-In Tariffs:

Very simply, a Feed-In Tariff (FIT) is a law that allows utility customers to produce renewable energy, feed it into the electricity grid, and sell it to their utility at a profit.

FIT policies have successfully increased renewable energy production and jobs in Germany, Spain, Denmark, and France and have now been adopted in over 70 countries around the world. Ontario, Canada took the lead on FIT policy in North America when its FIT program launched in December 2009. In the U.S., Gainesville, Florida, has an operational FIT program for solar energy and 18 states in the U.S., including Oregon, are now developing their own FIT policies.

To watch a short video clip on how Feed-In Tariffs work in Germany:

OREP's Vision for a sustainable, decentralized energy future:

Our plan for achieving more local renewable energy production centers on helping to design and support the adoption of Feed-In Tariff policies for Oregon that produce good social, economic, and environmental outcomes at reasonable costs.

OREP invites fellow Oregonians, interested individuals, and organizations to join us in this work.

Support well-designed Feed-In Tariffs in Oregon with a donation to OREP at:
Donate to OREP

Note: OREP is no longer an active organization. We chose to leave our website up for the time being for the archival value it provides. OREP logo

Oregonians for Renewable Energy Progress
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