Electrifying Oregon’s transportation for all remains priority for PGE, customers and Oregon Clean Fuels Program

Portland, Ore. — Portland General Electric Company (NYSE: POR) announced this year’s PGE Drive Change Fund is now accepting applications in support of transportation electrification projects for community-based organizations. This year’s $2.25 million in grants are funded by sale of Oregon Clean Fuels Program credits, which PGE aggregates on behalf of customers who charge their electric vehicles at home. Last year’s winners represent organizations delivering important community benefits, including food assistance, health care, affordable housing and other social services.

“Oregon’s electric transportation future is for everyone,” said John McFarland, Chief Customer Officer for Portland General Electric. “We thank customers who charge their electric vehicles at home and the Oregon Clean Fuels program for making these community-focused grants possible. The PGE Drive Change Fund is one piece of what must be a concerted effort to make electric vehicles and other forms of transportation available to all as we build Oregon’s clean energy future.”

Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) Executive Director Paul Lumley said of the 2019 Drive Change Fund award they received, “It has been transformational for NAYA to be awarded the PGE Drive Change grant and to receive this new fleet of all electric and hybrid plug-in electric vehicles, knowing that we will be doing our part to affect climate change. Having to change our operations due to COVID-19, these energy efficient vehicles are even more important to us–we can provide our community with socially-distant food-delivery services while lifting up the spirits of our employees who are driving these vehicles.”

Quick Facts:

• The PGE Drive Change Fund supports projects that benefit residential customers in PGE’s service territory and advance transportation electrification in one or more of these categories:

  • The acquisition of electric vehicles,

  • Education and outreach campaigns,

  • The installation of EV charging infrastructure, or

  • Other innovative projects that advance transportation electrification.

• The fund has $2.25 million available, and a single project can receive no more than 1/3 of the total available funds ($750,000).

• The grants provide up to 100% of eligible project costs, although projects that leverage other funding sources are preferred.

• Applications can be submitted between July 1, 2020 and September 1, 2020.

• Successful projects will provide a direct community benefit and meet the needs of underserved communities while advancing electric transportation options for everyone.

• Grants are awarded through an open and competitive application process and evaluated by third-party vendors in accordance with eligibility guidelines, preferred project standards and established evaluation criteria.

• For more information about eligibility and the application process, please visit the PGE Drive Change Fund website.

The PGE Drive Change Fund started in June 2019 as part of PGE’s participation in the Oregon Clean Fuels Program. PGE participates in the program as a provider of low-carbon transportation fuel, and the funds from the sale of credits PGE receives are used to promote and support transportation electrification. The Oregon Clean Fuels Program, administered by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, aims to reduce the carbon intensity of Oregon’s transportation fuels. Under Governor Kate Brown’s recent Executive Order to address climate change, the Clean Fuels Program became the most ambitious in the nation, with goals to achieve reductions in average carbon intensity of transportation fuels used in Oregon by at least 20% (relative to 2015) by 2030, and at least 25% by 2035.