OAR 330-250-0010: Definitions

For the purposes of this division, the following definitions apply: (1) “Applicant” means a federally recognized Oregon Indian tribe, public body or consumer-owned utility that is applying for or has applied for a grant for the purpose of planning or developing a community renewable energy project. (2) “Business site” means a site operated for business purposes that is owned by the applicant or partner or with whose owner the applicant or partner has a formal agreement to use the site. (3) “Community renewable energy project” means one or more renewable energy systems, storage systems, microgrids or energy-related infrastructure that promote energy resilience, increase renewable energy generation or renewable energy storage capacity and provide a direct benefit to a particular community in the form of increased community energy resilience, local jobs, economic development or direct energy costs savings to families and small businesses. (4) “Community energy resilience” means the ability of a specific community to maintain the availability of energy needed to support the provision of energy-dependent critical public services to the community following nonroutine disruptions of severe impact or duration to the state’s broader energy systems. (5) “Community energy resilience project” means a community renewable energy project that includes utilizing one or more renewable energy systems to support the energy resilience of structures or facilities that are essential to the public welfare. (6) “Consumer-owned utility” means a municipal electricity utility, a people’s utility district organized under ORS chapter 261 that sells electricity or an electric cooperative organized under ORS chapter 62. This includes an electric cooperative organized under ORS chapter 62 that is operating in this state and formed for one or both of the following purposes: (a) To generate, purchase, or obtain electric power, energy, transmission services, or ancillary services; or (b) To represent one or more consumer-owned utilities in meeting rural, environmental, or renewable energy requirements and mandates. (7) “Department” means the Oregon Department of Energy. (8) “Director” means the director of the department. (9) “Electric utility” means a consumer-owned utility or an electric company, as defined in ORS 757.600, that is engaged in the business of distributing electricity to retail electricity consumers in this state. (10) “Energy” means electrical or thermal energy. (11) “Energy resilience” means the ability of energy systems, from production through delivery to end-users, to withstand and restore energy delivery rapidly following nonroutine disruptions of severe impact or duration. (12) “Environmental justice community” includes communities of color, communities experiencing lower incomes, tribal communities, rural communities, coastal communities, communities with limited infrastructure and other communities traditionally underrepresented in public processes and adversely harmed by environmental and health hazards, including seniors, youth and persons with disabilities. (13) “Grantee” means an entity that has received an award of a grant for planning or developing a community renewable energy project and has executed a performance agreement with the department. (14) “Good cause” for extending a timeline agreed upon in a performance agreement means that the grantee failed, or expects to fail, to meet the original deadline due to circumstances beyond the applicant's control, including a significant unforeseeable or uncontrollable circumstance such as supply chain disruptions or delays associated with utility interconnection. Good cause does not include changes to project scope. (15) “Installation or construction” means the process of physical assembly of a system or supporting infrastructure at its operating location. (16) “Opportunity period” means the timeframe specified in an opportunity announcement for the department to accept applications for a grant for planning or developing a community renewable energy project. (17) “Partner” means an entity listed as a partner to an eligible applicant on an application for a grant award. A partner may be a federally recognized Oregon Indian tribe, public body, nonprofit entity, private business with a business site in Oregon, or owner of a rental property in Oregon . A partner may assist or take a lead role in the acquisition, installation, construction, or planning of a community renewable energy project. A partner may have a financial or ownership interest in the project. An entity whose only role is the provision of goods or services through a procurement contract are not considered a partner. (18) “Planning costs” means the costs related to planning paid by an applicant, or an applicant’s partner, described under Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 508, section 30. (19) “Project cost” means the actual cost of the acquisition, construction and installation of a renewable energy system incurred by an applicant, or an applicant’s partner, before considering utility incentives. (20) “Public body” means a public body as defined in ORS 174.109. (21) “Qualifying community” means a community that qualifies as an environmental justice community. (22) “Renewable energy system” includes: (a) A system that uses biomass, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, wind, landfill gas, biogas or wave, tidal or ocean thermal energy technology to produce energy. (b) One or more energy storage systems paired with an existing or newly constructed system described in paragraph (a) of this section. (c) One or more vehicle charging stations paired with an existing or newly constructed system described in paragraph (a) of this section. (d) Microgrid enabling technologies paired with an existing or newly constructed system described in paragraph (a) of this section, including microgrid controllers and any other related technologies needed to electrically isolate a community energy resilience project from the electric grid so that the project is capable of operating independently from the electric grid.