Resource Innovation Group, Full Access, St. Vincent de Paul win fall 2011 Greenpower grants

The Resource Innovation Group, Full Access and St. Vincent de Paul each have won a Greenpower Grant from the Eugene Water & Electric Board. The winners were selected after applying for the fall grants offered by the utility’s Greenpower program.

Each winner will use the grant money to achieve a different goal, highlighting the diversity of projects possible with clean, sustainable energy.

The Resource Innovation Group won a grant to aid its Solarize Eugene project, a solar bulk-purchasing initiative based on successful programs elsewhere in Oregon that aims to increase residential solar installations throughout the community at lower cost.

“Solarize Eugene will give EWEB customers a simplified, cost-effective way to bring renewable energy to their homes,” said Program Manager Sarah Mazze. “This will be a great project for Eugene and EWEB customers."

Full Access, a nonprofit that assists individuals with developmental disabilities, was awarded a grant to install a solar photovoltaic system. According to Chief Executive Officer Margaret Theisen, the solar panels will be installed in early 2012.

“This will reduce our cost, green up our business and allow us to invest more funds in program services,” said Theisen. “We will use this as an educational opportunity.”

St. Vincent de Paul, the third winner of a fall 2011 Greenpower Grant, plans to use the award for two solar hot water systems in its affordable housing complexes. One of the solar hot water systems will be installed in the home of a National Guard Veteran.

“EWEB continues to find new and innovative ways to improve the quality of life for all of us, while adding to the sustainability of our planet,” said St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County’s Executive Director, Terry McDonald.

Since 2007, thousands of EWEB customers have chosen to support clean renewable energy and the environment by purchasing EWEB Greenpower. They buy $1.50 or $10 “blocks” of Greenpower, or voluntarily dedicate all of their energy use to Greenpower by paying an extra penny per kilowatt-hour of consumption.

EWEB developed the Greenpower grant program in 2007 to reinvest these funds into smaller-scale renewable energy or education projects that benefit the utility’s customers. Since the program’s inception, over half a million dollars have been reinvested into local projects.

Learn more the grant program and its present and past winners

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