PENDLETON, Ore.-Over $2.5 million in grants will help fund renewable energy projects at Pendleton City Hall, the Pendleton Resource Recovery Facility, and the Pendleton Convention Center.
The grants awarded include $1 million for a battery energy storage system, $1.5 million to install wind turbines and a micro-hydroelectric generation system at the Resource Recovery Facility, and $70,000 for energy audits at the Pendleton Convention Center and City Hall, according to the City of Pendleton.
The Oregon Department of Energy announced the recipients of its Community Renewable Energy Grant Program (CREP) last week, including $1 million awarded to Pendleton.
“With support from the ODOE CREP grant, we will integrate a battery energy storage system at one of the Pendleton ASR wells to help provide load shifting, emergency backup power, and improved operational flexibility,” said Kyle Willman, Assistant Public Works Director. “This project advances our commitment to reliable, efficient operations and supports long-term community resilience.”
The grant will install a 500-kilowatt battery energy storage system, or BESS, at the Byers Aquifer Storage and Recovery Well Site, to hold electricity created in the existing micro-hydropower generation system for use during outages or emergencies, according to Willman.
The $1.5 million in funding to install wind turbines and a micro-hydroelectric generation system at the Pendleton Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) was announced in January as part of $100 million in federal funding for community-initiated projects throughout Oregon.
“Upgrading the Pendleton Resource Recovery Facility with micro-hydro and micro-wind systems will reduce long-term energy costs, improve resiliency, and help protect ratepayers from rising power prices,” said Willman.
According to the City of Pendleton, the project will diversify the renewable power resources and expand ongoing renewable energy projects at the RRF, including the award-winning solar canopy project over the chlorine contact chamber.
“These investments generate clean, on-site power while strengthening the reliability of essential wastewater services and build upon the City’s previous renewable energy projects to maximize their long-term benefits,” said Willman.
Pendleton has also been awarded two $35,000 grants for energy audits of the Pendleton Convention Center and Pendleton City Hall.
The two grants are from ODOE’s Early Compliance Action and Planning Program (ECAPP), designed to incentivize building owners to offset costs of compliance with building performance standards and meeting energy use and emissions targets.
“This support helps us meet new Building Performance Standards and improve building efficiency,” Willman said.
According to the City of Pendleton, the audits will evaluate the state of the buildings, test building energy consumption and outline recommendations to make the facilities more energy efficient.
