Renewable Energy is Coming to 82nd Ave

In 2018, our communities fought for the Portland Clean Energy Fund for a greener Portland. Now, APANO is bringing those projects to life on 82nd Ave — and we need your help!

Join today!

Community Solar

Do you want to receive benefits from solar energy and support a healthy environment? You can participate in community solar wherever you live, without needing your own solar panels or paying anything out of pocket! When you sign up for APANO’s community solar project as a low-income subscriber, you can get credits on your utility bill.

Eligibility
  • Live in Portland
  • Pay your own utility bill
  • Be a Pacific Power customer
  • Qualify as low-income  (80% or less than the State Median Income)
  • Take our eligibility quiz to see if you qualify!

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‍Upcoming Workshops

Join us at an upcoming workshop to learn about APANO’s community solar project along 82nd Avenue and how to subscribe for savings! All participants will receive an energy saving kit in the mail after the workshop, which includes LED lightbulbs, a water saving shower head, and more. Register here.

‍Tuesday, Sept. 8 from 6-7pm at IRCO Pacific Islander & Asian Family Center (English/Cantonese)

Thursday, Sept. 17 from 5-6pm at IRCO Pacific Islander & Asian Family Center (English/Vietnamese)

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How does Community Solar work? 

Community solar is a way for people to benefit from solar energy without needing to buy their own solar panels.

Basically, APANO builds a big solar array with panels that capture sunlight and turn it into energy for the general electrical grid. You sign up to receive credits on your utility bill that come from the value of the energy produced by the big solar array.

All subscribers to the community solar array share in the value of the energy produced so that many people can benefit from this project! 

Thank you to Bonneville Environmental Foundation for helping bring renewable energy to BIPOC renters and low income households who have been historically left out of traditional solar options.

Community Solar FAQ
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What is the process for subscribing to community solar? 

  1. Take the eligibility quiz on our website, attend a community solar workshop, or reach out to let us know you’re interested in community solar benefits!
  2. Subscribe to community solar with our partner, Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), using information from your Pacific Power utility bill.

How long would the whole process take to see credits on my utility bill? 

Once the solar array starts creating energy, scheduled for February 2027, you will start seeing benefits within the next 2 months depending on your utility billing schedule. 

This community solar program lasts 20 years.

Do I need to pay anything to sign up for community solar with APANO? 

Our project is for low-income subscribers who qualify based on these guidelines set by the Oregon Community Solar Program.

As a low-income subscriber, you do not pay anything out-of-pocket for community solar.

What do the benefits look like exactly? 

Subscribers in the Pacific Power territory will see savings each month on their utility bill. However, the amount of savings will vary based on how much sunlight is turned into energy.

You will likely see a higher amount of savings in the summer than the winter.

What protections exist for me as a customer? 

You will never have to pay for the community solar subscription. The price of the subscription will always be covered in your utility bill credits and then you keep the extra savings from the solar array!

You can cancel your subscription at any time without any fees. 

You can change your address and still keep your subscription as long as you are in the same electrical territory (Pacific Power territory for this project).

Residential Solar

APANO’s Residential Rooftop Solar program is in motion! Thanks to the Portland Clean Energy Fund, APANO is covering rooftop solar panels for 14 homeowners in our community. We are excited to share our progress! Please stay tuned for updates as we tell the stories of this program.
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For more information, read the full FAQs in English, Chinese and Vietnamese.

For questions or inquiries, please contact Madeleine at madeleine@apano.org or at 971-229-3884.