CSC Saves Low-Income Residents Money While Supporting the Local Economy

Thanks to Community Services Consortium (CSC), both low-income residents and local businesses are benefitting from green technology installations in Corvallis, Albany, and Newport. The design and installation of 282 kilowatts of solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays were made possible through CSC’s Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers Program (SERC).



Solar PV panels at Community Outreach, Inc. in Corvallis

Between July 2011 and March 2012, solar PV panels were installed in 10 single-family residences and three multi-family buildings. The multi-family buildings include Samaritan Village, an 82-unit senior living facility located in Corvallis; Pelican Place, a 12-unit building housing domestic abuse victims and the homeless in Newport; and Albany Helping Hands, a homeless shelter in Albany.

The solar PV systems are grid-connected, non-battery systems, which is the least expensive option to install. The system is connected to the electric provider, so any excess energy can be sold back to the provider in the form of credits or sent to Oregon HEAT, a local energy assistance program.

All labor for the projects was sourced in Oregon. Five separate Oregon solar companies were employed, and twice that many in electrical and mechanical subcontractors.



Workers install solar PV panels at Albany Helping Hands

All solar modules, inverters, and balance of systems were either made in America or Oregon. Some Oregon manufacturers used include SolarWorld and Sharp for solar modules, and Advanced Energy for inverters. More than $1 million was spent on labor and materials for the projects, which has provided a great boost for Oregon businesses. 

The SERC program, an extension of the CSC’s Weatherization Department, provides renewable energy measures to reduce electricity expenses to agencies serving people who are at 200% or below the poverty threshold.

CSC’s Weatherization Assistance Program accompanies SERC by providing energy audits and applied energy saving measures to improve local energy savings. Energy conservation and efficiency measures ensure that the solar electric renewable energy measure yields maximum energy savings.

The US Department of Energy funds the SERC program. They, along with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided $90 million nationwide ($7 million to Oregon) for SERC projects. CSC was one of just five agencies to receive funds from Oregon Housing and Community Services based on our outstanding record of service.