Solar Beaverton helps 258 homeowners add rooftop panels

Program marks largest effort in state, so far

By Steve Law

The Portland Tribune, Feb 21, 2012

Beaverton, tired of being overshadowed by Portland when it comes to green initiatives, announced its Solar Beaverton program has resulted in 258 residential solar installations, in league with the successful Portland Solarize programs on which it was based.

The city-led Solar Beaverton program began in 2010 with a pilot program and then expanded. As with Solarize, the city hired one solar contractor, in this case LiveLight Energy, to outfit participating homes, and provided homeowners with technical and financial advice.

Solar Beaverton increased the solar panel permits in the city by 2,500 percent in the course of the two-year program.

The city is touting it as the largest one-time community-based solar program in Oregon.

That may be a shortlived claim. The latest phase of Solarize Northeast, now under way, hopes to enlist 400 to 500 people to add residential solar energy, which would mark the largest single expansion of residential solar project in Oregon history.