Oregon Solar News
Solar Industry Represents at PUC Special Public Meeting
As you all know, we've been spending a lot of time lately pushing back on the first draft of the solar report the PUC is preparing for the legislature. The second draft came out earlier this month and while it's still not great, there was some movement. Today was an opportunity to present information directly to the commissioners as part of the feedback process....
My Solar Story- Betsy Kauffman
Join OSEIA in congratulating Betsy as a recipient of the Daily Journal of Commerce's 2016 Women of Vision award. Congratulations Betsy and thank you for your leadership of positive change!
My solar story starts about 25 years ago with a documentary I saw on salmon runs and tribal fishing rights. There was a moment in the film when someone said that tribal overfishing was causing the drop in salmon numbers. Then they cut to someone else saying that there were many factors contributing to the salmon issues, most notably the presence of some rather large dams, and that tribal fishing was probably not high on the problem list.
I had just moved to Portland from the Midwest and had previously never given much thought to how electricity is made and what impact it has on us. It was also a revelation to me, coming from Wisconsin, that rivers could actually be clean...
Read moreOregon Solar Review - September 2016
Making Solar Safe for Firefighters
The solar industry works closely with code agencies to ensure the safety of those that work directly or indirectly with solar arrays. Solar installations in Oregon adhere to the National Electric Code (published by the National Fire Protection Association) and the Oregon State Building Code, whose code making panels have direct input from installers, engineers, fire fighters, utilities, and others. Specifically, the Oregon State Building Code addresses the placement of rooftop solar systems to allow systems to remain in place should firefighting ever become necessary.
Thriving Company Culture through the Eyes of a Solar CEO
By Tamara Staton, Owner Thriving Solar- A regular column to give a sense of where and how culture is thriving in the solar industry, and how you might begin to strengthen company culture in your own company or place of business. I conducted this interview with Rick Campfield, CEO of SunModo with over 20 team members. I chose Rick because, as company CEO, I knew that he would play a strong role in driving the company culture at SunModo, and could offer valuable perspective on his process.
Tamara: How would you describe your path to becoming the CEO of SunModo?
Rick: The majority of my path has been spent on the demand side of the meter...
Inside Iron Ridge's UFO
The IronRidge UFO (Universal Fastening Object) arrives fully-assembled and fully-lubricated, and features a low-profile circular clamp that is attractive and eliminates the need to orient the clamp as it is fastened. Instead, the circular clamp spins down and lands in perfect position on module frames.
The UFO also possesses an advanced T-bolt that allows it to stand freely in the rail while modules are placed. This completely eliminates the need for one person to position clamps as another person installs modules. Instead, the UFO allows one person to do both; then, as he or she fastens the UFO, an integrated Nylok patch auto-rotates and locks the T-bolt in perfect position in the rail.
Read moreCanadian Solar's Featured New Products
- Cell efficiency of up to 18.8%
- High module efficiency of up to 16.97%
- Outstanding low irradiance performance of up to 96.0%
- High PTC rating of up to 91.55%
- IP67 junction box for long-term weather endurance
- Heavy snow load up to 5400 Pa, wind load up to 2400 Pa
Solar is Happening in Southern Oregon
OSEIA Executive Director Jeff Bissonnette just made a swing through Southern Oregon to visit with members and see the near completion of an 8 MW solar project in Lakeview, OR.
Buzz Thielman and his company RHT Energy hosted a meeting and lunch in Medford to talk about solar policy and how Southern Oregon solar businesses can play a role in supporting a statewide agenda. Eight businesses attended and took part in a lively discussion.
Read morePolicy Update: A Little Bit of a Lot
Well, it’s official. Summer’s over, fall’s here, kids have
been back to school for a few weeks and the campaign season is moving headlong
toward Election Day. That means there’s a lot going on. Usually, these policy updates
focus on one or two key items but this one will touch on several important
points that are all happening at once- developing a 2017 Legislative Agenda, organizing the Oregon SolarPAC, developing the Oregon Solar Business Plan, keeping up with PUC activities, and more.
Support the Oregon SolarPAC!!!
OSEIA has started a political action committee to increase our voice and influence with our decision makers in Salem. Your donation to the Oregon SolarPAC helps expand OSEIA’s capacity to develop a marketplace for the widespread adoption of solar energy in Oregon. More information>