Deschutes Energy Future
Deschutes Energy Future is a community-driven effort to discuss and plan for the future of how we energy and where it comes from in Deschutes County. The Environmental Center is convening community members to help lead and launch this work. By supporting a regional process that is created by and for community members across Deschutes County, we can more accurately reflect a wider range of community priorities. We hope you will join us for this important work.
Our goal: to encourage a more equitable, accessible, renewable, and resilient energy future by creating and implementing a community energy action plan.
What will Deschutes Energy Future do?
Guided by the Leadership Team, this initiative will create a community energy action plan for Deschutes County. Throughout the process, we will:
- Examine how we currently use energy in our homes, buildings, and vehicles
- Identify where we already excel at energy conservation, and amplify those practices
- Generate community-specific ideas to remove barriers to energy upgrades (e.g. solar panels) in homes and businesses
- Understand what it takes to build energy resilience in the face of increasingly uncertain and extreme weather
- Support more local renewable energy projects that reduce our contributions to climate change
We need your help!
Deschutes Energy Future relies on its participants to shape change and advocate for their communities. Applications are OPEN for the Leadership Team, which will initiate and lead a grassroots, community-driven energy planning process for the Deschutes County area. Can’t commit to being part of the Leadership Team, but still want to stay informed and hear about opportunities to give input? Fill out our general interest form.
Resources
Best Practices for Community Energy Planning in Rural Oregon
This report outlines some best practices for energy planning in rural Oregon based on the perspectives of people involved in past and current energy planning efforts. It provides local, up-to-date resources, steps, and advice for communities that are interested in creating their own energy plan.
Energy Inventory Toolkit
The toolkit is meant to help guide communities through the process of creating a comprehensive energy inventory. It includes options for utility data, greenhouse gas data, transportation data, and more. It was developed by a team based in Bend and uses Deschutes County as a model, but is user friendly and adaptable for any community. The toolkit is in its beta phase and feedback is welcome.
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