Eastern Oregon Solar Fair

The first Eastern Oregon Solar Fair held June 4th through 6th in Union County was a resounding success!  About 100 people from Union, Baker, and Wallowa counties attended our “Going Solar” workshops, solar open house, and vendor fair. 

A big thanks to all the ORA members who helped organize the event, volunteered, and opened their homes to the public.  All the feedback we received was excited and positive.  People expressed that what they most like was that they could learn the “basics of going solar” and then talk to local contractors, designers, and vendors, and polish that off with a visit to a real, operating system in Union County. 

Fair-goers also raved about being able to take a free bus to all the solar homes on the open house tour.  The feeling was that the folks who attended the solar fair were “serious” about going solar.  Also, our local vendors reported 8 new appointments and 10 serious prospects, indicating a tangible economic outcome.

Our funding came from local sponsors including Eastern Oregon University, BearCo Electric, Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative, Blue Mt Solar, Solar Oregon, Energy Trust of Oregon, and the Union County Renewable Energy grant program. Thanks go especially to Solar Oregon for coming out to do the presentations. We’re really grateful for all of the enthusiastic support. It really made for a wonderful educational event. Also, it was really FUN!

For more information about renewable energy in Oregon, check out The Navigator online or pick one up at your local agriculture extension office. If you're interested in being involved in the Eastern Oregon Solar Fair next year or being involved in other local energy issues around the region, consider joining Oregon Rural Action and being active in our Energy Team.

For more information, to give feedback about the Solar Fair, or to support our important work on energy locally, contact organizer Nella Parks at nella@oregonrural.org or call 541-975-2411