As it says in the Book of Genesis: “The Lord said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there were collections of photovoltaic modules to collect the sun’s rays and convert them into renewable and environmentally friendly energy.” Or, you know, something like that.
At any rate, the Smyrna United Church of Christ outside Canby will be putting that teaching to good use, with a newly awarded grant of $32,559 from Portland General Electric for a 13.68 kW ground mount solar array that will offset all of the church’s electricity use.
Founded in 1891, Smyrna UCC has a congregation of about 100 members and is active in service to the Canby community, including working with food banks, foster care assistance and homeless youth assistance.
The grant was one of nine awards to local nonprofits in Portland, Salem, Canby, Beaverton and Lake Oswego totaling more than $1.76 million for solar projects, providing renewable energy to their facilities and the local communities they serve.
The awards are part of the PGE Renewable Development Fund, which has handed out 75 grants worth more than $16.5 million, creating more than 16.6 MW of renewable power generation since the program’s inception in 1999.
“At Portland General Electric, we are providing affordable, reliable and increasingly clean energy for everyone,” said John McFarland, PGE’s chief customer officer. “We call it an Oregon kind of energy. … The Renewable Development Fund is one way we can ensure an equitable clean energy future for all Oregonians.”
For a complete list of projects awarded in this year’s funding cycle, visit PGE’s website.
