Oregon Renewable Electricity Mandate Status

Download Oregon’s renewable electricity PDF

oregon renewable electricity mandateRenewable Mandate Status: On Track

  • 2009 Renewable Generation: 10%[i]
  • 2011 Renewable Mandate: 5%
  • 2025 Renewable Mandate: 25% (large utilities),[ii] 10% (small utilities), 5% (smallest)[iii]

Eligible Resources: Solar Thermal Electric, Photovoltaics, Landfill Gas, Wind, Biomass, Hydroelectric, Geothermal Electric, Municipal Solid Waste, Hydrogen, Anaerobic Digestion, Tidal Energy, Wave Energy, Ocean Thermal

Compliance Schedule (large utilities):

[table id=26 /]

Renewable portfolio history: Senate Bill 838 of 2007 established the RPS in Oregon.[iv] The legislation also established a goal that by 2025 at least 8% of Oregon’s retail electrical load comes from small-scale, community renewable energy projects with a capacity of 20 megawatts (MW) or less. In fact, the legislation modified Oregon’s public purpose charge for renewable resources to focus on smaller projects of 20 MW or less and extended the sunset date on the public purpose charge through 2025.[v]

Credit Trading: Yes

Noncompliance penalty: The Oregon Public Utility Commission establishes an alternative compliance rate.[vi] Currently the alternative compliance payment is $50 per MWh.

Electricity Price Ranking: 16th Lowest[vii]

  • 7.72 cents/KWh in Oregon
  • 7.76 cents/KWh in non-mandated states



[i] According to Kip Pheil from the Oregon Department of Energy.

[ii] Large: More than 3 percent of state load, Small: Less than 3% more than 1.5%, Smallest: less than 1.5%.

[iii] Oregon Senate Bill 838 (2007). http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measpdf/sb0800.dir/sb0838.en.pdf.

[iv] Oregon Senate Bill 838 (2007). http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measpdf/sb0800.dir/sb0838.en.pdf.

[v] Oregon Renewable Portfolio Standard; http://www.oregon-rps.org.

[vi] Oregon Revised Statutes, 496A.180, http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/469a.html.

[vii] EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B., Average Retail Price of Electricity, June 2010, Released Sept. 15, 2010, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_b.html.

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