In May, Energy Trust’s board of directors took their board meeting to Oregon’s Rogue Valley region, spending two days hearing directly from community members and local leaders.

Through a series of tours and events, board members learned how customers are investing in energy efficiency and renewable power to advance local priorities—like recovering from wildfire damage, promoting economic development and managing natural resources.

One tour brought the board to the City of Talent, a community that was impacted by devastating wildfires in September 2020. Residents, with the support of Energy Trust programs and incentives, have rebuilt more than 200 homes with energy efficiency, renewable energy and fire resistance in mind.

Homes in Talent that were rebuilt with energy-efficient and fire-resistant features.

Another stop was the small, rural town of Butte Falls, which has a population of around 400. The mayor and residents shared how the community is improving its fire resilience and upgrading the energy efficiency of their homes through a pilot with Energy Trust’s In-Home Energy Services offer.

Later, the board visited a local irrigation district that is working with Energy Trust to install Oregon’s first floating community solar system and to modernize their irrigation infrastructure to prevent evaporation and support hydropower. Investments in these innovative solutions will bring long-term benefits to local farmers and community members by saving water and generating clean, renewable energy.

Board members also connected directly with Rogue Valley leaders and stakeholders at a community reception hosted at the Edenvale Winery in Medford.

“We view our work on the board as a partnership with the communities we serve,” said Henry Lorenzen, the board’s president, in his remarks to attendees. “This has been particularly true over the past five years as this area has been rebuilding and recovering from wildfires. Energy Trust has learned a great deal as we worked alongside you.”

The board held its May meeting at the Phoenix Civic Center, where local leaders presented on regional priorities. Throughout the meeting, board members heard about the importance of building capacity of local organizations to foster prosperous, healthy and resilient communities in Southern Oregon.

The visit concluded with a tour of the nearby Phoenix public safety building, which was built after the 2020 wildfires to act as a hub during emergencies. The city worked with Energy Trust to incorporate energy efficiency features into its design, saving the city thousands of dollars each year and freeing up resources for other essential community initiatives.

Community reception at Edenvale Winery.