Why Doesn’t Central Oregon Have a Renewable Energy Zone like the Columbia Gorge?

Why Doesn’t Central Oregon Have a Renewable Energy Zone?

Five Oregon and Washington counties that straddle the Columbia River have joined forces and become the Columbia Gorge Bi-State Renewable Energy Zone. Those counties are: Hood River, Sherman and Wasco Counties in Oregon and Klickitat, Sherman and Skamania Counties in Washington.

They claim that because it’s “centrally located in the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia Gorge is an ideal location for renewable energy production, manufacturing, and research. They go on to say that “The area offers qualities such as a broad inventory of industrial property, mutli-modal transportation, renewable energy technology training, a favorable business climate, and an unbelievable quality of life.” They go on to invite the reader to “explore the links above to learn about this world-class renewable energy region and opportunities to invest your business.  Including:

Workforce training – Affordable industrial lands – Quality of life
Favorable business climate – Multi-modal transportation”

Why Not Central Oregon?

Is there any reason why the counties of Central Oregon (Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson) couldn’t join forces and do the same?  It would be so easy to simply reword the above description/sales pitch to read:

Located in the heart of  Oregon, Central Oregon is an ideal location for renewable energy production, manufacturing, and research. The area offers qualities such as a broad inventory of industrial property, mutli-modal transportation, renewable energy technology training, a favorable business climate, and an unbelievable quality of life. Explore the links on our website to learn about this world-class renewable energy region and opportunities to invest your business. 

It should be noted that Central Oregon does have one county – Crook – that has a Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone designation.  Although that is an admirable effort much more could and should be done to establish Central Oregon – and all of its counties –  a leader in renewable energy development and education.

Is Central Oregon REALLY Positioned to Become a “Solar Power Hub”?

Central Oregon Positioned to Become Solar Power Hub

Daniel Pearson - Cascade Business News – September 3, 2008

Last month, when local solar power inverter manufacturer PV Powered announced it had to layoff a handful of employees the move appeared on the surface to indicate the solar power industry was feeling the effects of the current recession and that troubled times might lay ahead for Bend-based companies.

Industry insiders say that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

In fact, the sun is just beginning to rise on the solar power industry in Central Oregon, where both regional and state officials are in the middle of a huge push to attract more companies to the region, and where a handful of scrappy startups are trying to carve their own niche in the early days of this burgeoning sector.

Enterprise Zones May Boost Central Oregon’s High Desert Economy

‘Enterprise zones’ may boost High Desert economy
By Tony Fuller – KTVZ.com – April 30, 2008

Property tax breaks can lure more business – and jobs

It’s something we all like to hear, two words: tax break!

For major manufacturers and trade sector employers, it could be exactly what they want to hear when they plan on bringing their company to Central Oregon.

Take companies like T-mobile for example, which qualified for an “enterprise zone” in Redmond, which gives them a break on property taxes. Now the company has become a major employer in the region.

So by designating three new areas throughout the region, as the state did this week, in five or 10 years, hundreds, even thousands of jobs could be on the way.

It’s one of the oldest and frequently used programs in the state.  A tax break that jumps starts economic development in rural areas like, in this case, La Pine, the Bend Airport and Crook County. 

Crook County Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone Approved

According to earlier news reports (March 1, 2008)  ”Ochoco Power LLC (a division of La Pine-based Sylvan Power), which has plans to build a $40 million biomass power plant, and Pacific Wind Power, a California energy company looking into building a large wind farm – are seriously considering building in Crook County”.

Crook County Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone Approved
Press Release Excerpts – Economic Development for Central Oregon – April 29, 2008

The Oregon Economic & Community Development Department (OECDD) signed into existence a Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone (RREDZ) for Crook County that was effective April 29, 2008.

While offering similar benefits as a Rural Enterprise Zone, a Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone encompasses an entire county for the purpose of attracting new biomass, wind, geothermal, solar and other alternative or renewable energy production projects. RRED Zones were allowed by state statue in 2003 to avoid “gerrymandered” enterprise zones for wind farms.

Crook County initiated the process two months ago in order to provide a meaningful incentive for renewable energy production. Possible projects include a wind farm being considered along the southern border of the county and two biomass power production plants near Prineville. The combined investment of these projects could attract capital investments exceeding $150 million.

Crook County Considers Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone

Crook County Considers Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone
The Bulletin - March 13, 2008:

With housing projects in a slump and unemployment on the rise Crook County is looking to renewable energy as an industry that can provide a boost to its economy.

Proposed location of Crook County Wind Farm

The Crook County Court is considering a proposal that would make the entire county an Oregon rural renewable energy development zone. The designation, which would give wind, solar, biomass and other alternative energy-producing companies the chance to apply for up to five years of property tax exemptions, would be just the sixth in the state and the first in Central Oregon.

Prineville-Crook County Economic Development Manager Jason Carr, who brought, the idea to the Crook County Court at its regular meeting last week, said the proposal was prompted in part by interest from two businesses – Ochoco Power LLC (a division of La Pine-based Sylvan Power), which has plans to build a $40 million biomass power plant, and Pacific Wind Power, a California energy company looking into building a large wind farm – are seriously considering building in Crook County.

That interest, he said, is part of a larger, statewide movement to boost the economy and the environment with renewable energy projects. The Oregon Renewable Energy Act passed by the state Legislature last year will require large utility companies like Pacific Power, which operates locally, to provide at least 5 percent of their electricity generation from renewable sources by 2011 and 25 percent by 2025.