The final progress report on Energy Trust’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan shows Energy Trust achieved much of what it set out to do under the plan, including adapting to change in what turned out to be highly uncertain times.
The progress report is included in Energy Trust’s 2024 Annual Report to the Oregon Public Utility Commission, which was released earlier this month.
The 2020-2024 Strategic Plan had five focus areas designed to advance Energy Trust’s work and impact:
- Services to customers, including those specifically for underserved customers
- Supporting utilities by linking Energy Trust programs with their approaches to meeting customer needs
- Informing policymakers with information and analyses to support energy policies
- Delivering multiple benefits by maximizing ratepayer funds, including leveraging non-ratepayer funds, to deliver multiple benefits
- Adapting to change by enhancing internal abilities to respond quickly and effectively to new needs and opportunities
The progress report shows achievement or partial achievement for each progress indicator in the plan. It also highlights activities under each focus area.
Early in the strategic plan period, Energy Trust developed several strategies to support customers through the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and labor shortages. Those included increasing incentives and giving more flexibility for business customers.
It also created Community Partner Funding with higher incentives for priority customer groups, partnering with dozens of on-the-ground nonprofits to complete upgrades in customers’ homes. It offered more support to nonprofits through its Working Together Grants, and it began reporting on equity metrics set by the OPUC. (Results for 2024 are included in the annual report.)
Energy Trust coordinated with utilities on targeted load management efforts that target energy savings in geographic areas to avoid otherwise costly updates. It is also participating in PGE’s Smart Grid Test Best Collaboration.
To inform policymakers, Energy Trust created a government and stakeholder relations team to coordinate with state agencies, municipalities and lawmakers on energy-related programs and policies. In 2024, the team briefed more than 20 legislators and staff members during the short 2024 Oregon legislative session on Energy Trust activities and benefits.
To maximize ratepayer funds, Energy Trust created an innovation and development team to pursue funding opportunities outside Energy Trust’s traditional ratepayer funding that enable greater energy savings and customer benefits. In 2024, the team helped secure millions in local and federal funding for solar projects for underserved residents and more energy-efficient affordable housing, among other projects.
Finally, to adapt to change, Energy Trust made structural changes to help the organization be more effective at serving customers. This includes the creation of a diversity, equity and inclusion services team in 2024 that is helping Energy Trust connect with previously underserved groups and the reorganization of outreach staff to cover more parts of the state.
Also in 2024, Energy Trust began the work to transition from annual budgeting to multiyear planning, which is designed to create more operational flexibility over time.
Energy Trust will build on this momentum as it begins implementing the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. Learn more about that plan and how it was developed.