Solar spotlight shines on Pendleton

PENDLETON – Solar Oregon, with support from Energy Trust of Oregon, is devoting a webinar to the history of solar energy in Pendleton. It will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday and will feature two familiar faces in the Solarize Pendleton movement.

In 2006, when solar energy was rare everywhere, Pendleton Public Works Director Bob Patterson led the charge to install a large system on a municipal water filtration plant. Shortly after that, he and Energy Trust of Oregon representative Susan Badger-Jones kicked off the Solarize Pendleton campaign that lasted for years.

Since then, Pendleton’s early investment in solar energy has produced over 7 megawatts of installed solar, a hydroelectric generator on the aquifer storage and recovery system, and the widespread local adoption of solar power and energy efficiency. Patterson and Badger Jones are the speakers for the webinar.

People can register to attend the event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/solar-lessons-from-pendleton-oregon-tickets-224902809357.

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