The Hood River County Energy Council is Accepting Applications

The Hood River County Energy Council is Accepting Applications

The Energy Council — a volunteer advisory body that supports the implementation of the Hood River County Energy Plan — is accepting applications for at-large Energy Council members. Applications must be received by November 2, 2026. 

Hood River County Energy Council Member Applications

  • The Energy Council is looking for applicants who are committed to helping our community reach its clean energy goals.
  • The Energy Council is seeking members who will represent all Hood River County residents. We strive to include a diversity of perspectives on the Energy Council.
  • The Energy Council is interested in new members who represent the following industries: energy, transportation, buildings, agriculture, land use, finance, fundraising, and related industries. Applicants with experience in other fields are also encouraged to apply.
  • To be eligible, applicants must live in one of the following counties: Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickitat, or Skamania.

New members will serve a two-year term beginning in January 2027. The Energy Council meets quarterly on Thursday afternoons, and subcommittees meet during off-months for the full Energy Council. Meeting time and frequency are subject to change.

Please feel free to share this news with anyone you know who may be interested.

The application is linked below. 

Hood-River-Energy-Council-Application_2027 2028

Email completed applications to lindsay@mcedd.org. Applications must be received by November 2, 2026, to be considered. Reach out to Lindsay McClure with any questions.

Solarize Hood River County

Solarize Hood River County

Haga clic aquí para visitar la página web de «Más energía solar en el condado de Hood River» en español. 

Photo provided by Scott Sorensen.

Thanks for participating in Solarize Hood River County!

The Solarize Hood River County campaign ran from September 6 – October 31, 2022. Over 100 households signed up for a free custom bid during the campaign. If you are interested in learning more about solar energy and battery storage, check out the campaign videos below.

Although the campaign is no longer running, households can still be connected with an Energy Trust of Oregon trade ally contractor to request a free custom bid by visiting the following website: Energy Trust of Oregon Solar Bid.

What are the benefits of solar and battery storage?

Installing solar helps you save money on your monthly electric bill. Adding home battery storage to solar allows you to power your home with solar AND save any extra solar power in the battery to use during a power outage when you really need it. These systems use clean energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Clean and resilient renewable energy helps to build community-wide prosperity, one household at a time.

solar panels on roof

Foto ofrecida por Scott Sorensen.

Learn more about Hood River County Solarize, solar energy, and solar+storage, and financial incentives by watching the Solarize Hood River workshop videos below.

Introduction
Campaign overview
Solar basics
What makes a home good for solar?
Battery storage

Incentives

Signup and installation

Who was involved in Solarize Hood River County?

The Hood River County Solarize campaign was a community effort that was supported by the following organizations:

Hood River County’s Solarize campaign made efforts to increase access to solar for all residents and provided resources in both English and Spanish. The campaign also worked to reach people with low or moderate income to help them learn about higher income-qualified incentives like Energy Trust of Oregon’s Solar Within Reach and the Oregon Solar+Storage rebate.

Contact MCEDD Energy & Project Manager Lindsay McClure at lindsay@mcedd.org with any questions.

Creating Equitable Access

Creating Equitable Access

This project promotes equitable access to energy efficient and resilient homes. The goals for this project include increasing awareness of existing programs that provide support for energy efficiency and solar programs among low- moderate income and communities of color; identifying and addressing barriers to accessing resources; and exploring how to develop a cohort of trusted contractors that are available to meet local demand for this work.

A report from phase one is linked here.