Business & Economic Development

Energy Efficiency on Main Street

The Clackamas County Energy Efficiency on Main Street (EEMS) program is working with Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO) to make energy efficiency upgrades a viable and attainable option for commercial businesses in Main Street districts.  We welcome you to take advantage of our resource information, EEMS rebates, and free energy walkthroughs conducted by ETO field engineers. 

Clackamas County is offering rebates for eligible energy efficiency upgrades.

The rebates pay:

$.10/kWh saved over five years* ($.50/annual kWh saved)

or

$1.15/therm saved over five years* ($5.75/annual therm saved)

*Rebates for HVAC projects will be paid based on 20 years of savings at these same rates.

Rebates are not to exceed $2,500, except in Lake Oswego and Lake Grove, where rebates are not to exceed $1,500.  Clackamas County EEMS rebates are in addition to ETO incentives, and the sum of all financial incentives cannot exceed the total project cost. 

Funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

EEMS is a cooperative program of the Clackamas County Main Street program and the Office of Sustainability.  The EEMS program is funded by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant awarded to Clackamas County as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Aft of 2009, and USDA Rural Development.  Clackamas County works closely with the Energy Trust of Oregon.  ETO is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Oregonians benefit from saving energy and tapping renewable resources.   

Energy Efficiency on Main Street was recently highlighted on the U.S. Department of Energy website. 

The Process

Participating in the program is simple:

Step 1. Submit the Pre-Application Form to express your interest in pursuing an EEMS rebate.  Rebate funds are paid on a first-come, first-served, after-the-fact basis.  EEMS funds are not guaranteed prior to completion of the final application, however, we will use this form to gauge fund availability and update you as needed. 

Step 2. Sign up for a free energy walkthrough with the Energy Trust of Oregon by completing this form and turning it in to ETO.  An energy expert will examine your building and provide you with a written report detailing what you can do to make your business more energy efficient and save significant amounts of money over time.  If you already know which energy efficiency measures you would like to pursue, and are not interested in a free energy walkthrough, you may proceed to step 3.   

Step 3. EEMS rebates are available for all ETO qualified upgrades**.  As part of the EEMS rebate requirements, you must follow the ETO incentive path.  Approved projects can be found here.  Please note: Due to the limitations of our funding source, EEMS rebates cannot fund solar projects. 

Step 4. Find a contractor to install your project.  Please make your contractor aware that you are applying for ETO incentives, and ensure that he or she meets the minimum efficiency requirements as specified on ETO incentive sheets.   

Step 5. Download the Waste Management Form and Contractor Hours Report Form.  We ask that you have your contractor complete these forms at the time the project is installed.

Step 6. Apply for applicable Energy Trust of Oregon incentives.  Many ETO Trade Allies are familiar with the process and will assist you with the application. 

Step 7. Turn in the EEMS Application along with copies of your ETO incentive application, project receipt, and the Waste Management and Contractor Hours report forms.  Once approved, Clackamas County will issue a rebate check.     

Step 8. In order to help us determine the effectiveness of offering incentives to small businesses, and to encourage continued funding for this program, we request that you report your energy usage for a twenty-four month period (12 months before and after improvements are made).  Please gather your utility bills for the past year and enter the data into EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager.  The Portfolio Manager is a fun tool which will allow you to see your energy savings in a quantifiable way. PGE billing history can be accessed at here.

**The standard EEMS rebate path requires you qualify and apply for existing incentives through ETO.  Should you be interested in energy efficiency measures outside of ETO's purview, please call to learn about the custom EEMS rebate process. 

 (Some forms are not yet available on the website.) 

Questions? Contact Jamie Johnk at 503-742-4413 or jamiejoh@clackamas.us