August 3rd - Community Energy Panel featuring Clean Energy Works, N2e and Solarize Portland

Please join us Tuesday, August 3rd at 7pm for the next Green Drinks event featuring a panel discussion on Community Energy, including panelist from Clean Energy Works and N2e.

Time: Doors open at 6:30pm, the speakers starts promptly at 7:00. Announcements will follow the speakers and networking will continue until 8:45.

Donation: We ask that you donate $5 to help us cover our costs. All attendees will be entered into a raffle.

Food / Drinks: Hot Lips will be selling beer and wine upstairs so you can more easily experience the "drinks" portion of "Green Drinks." You'll still need to go downstairs for any food but are welcome to bring it upstairs.

Sponsor: Missionary Chocolates, owned and run by naturopathic doctor and mommy Melissa Berry, produces tastebud-friendly organic, vegan chocolate truffles.

Discussion Groups: During the networking after the speaker, we will have 4 topics for discussion in the four corners of the room. The rest of the room will be free-form networking/socializing.

About Clean Energy Works Portland & Marlowe Kulley
Clean Energy Works is a pilot program from the City of Portland, in collaboration with the Energy Trust of Oregon and other organizations, to bring low-cost energy efficiency improvements to homeowners in Portland. Homeowners receive an in-depth assessment of their home, energy-saving upgrades such as insulation and high-efficiency heating equipment, with no upfront costs. Improvements to the home are financed on a low interest, 20-year loan that is repaid on the homeowner’s monthly heating bill; repayment of the loan is offset by energy savings realized from the home improvements. More information is available at: www.CleanEnergyWorksPortland.org

Marlowe has a Masters degree in Sustainable Development and has been working for the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (formerly Office of Sustainable Development) for the past three years. Her initial role with the Bureau was to help create and implement the BEST Business Center, a free service for businesses in Portland to improve the sustainability of their operations. She is currently working on Clean Energy Works Portland, an innovative program that helps homeowners identify, finance and install energy-efficiency upgrades in their homes. Marlowe is an aspiring back-to-lander who experiments in fermenting, radical energy conservation and urban farming. If she could become any form of renewable energy she would be solar powered, of either the photovoltaic, thermal, or biomass variety.

About N2e and John Sorenson
N2e develops community-scaled solutions to address energy independence and climate change. Our principal aims are to replace fossil fuel use with renewable energy sources and to establish community ownership of energy generation and distribution. Our main strategy for implementation is to develop new district energy systems in neighborhoods, towns, and cities throughout the Pacific Northwest. More information is available at: www.n2e.org

A native Oregonian, John spent 20 years in Alaska, gaining experience in construction management and small business ownership. Returning to Oregon, he identified district energy as an effective model of energy efficiency, infrastructure investment, and community transformation. An advocate for district energy from renewable sources, he is developing models at multiple scales using a variety of innovative, locally available energy resources. A 2009 Daily Journal of Commerce "Newsmaker of the Year", John is helping to define the regional strategies to address climate change and energy independence.

About Solarize Portland, Mac McDowell and Todd Farris
Solarize Portland is a new volume purchasing program being led by Portland area neighborhood associations. Ron “Mac” McDowell and Todd Farris are community volunteers that help lead the Solarize Southwest neighborhood program, including the RFP and contractor selection process, neighborhood outreach and website management. Both are also proud owners of solar PV systems! You can learn more about Solarize Portland at http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?c=51902