Latest News:August 2026
Third Act Oregon’s Simplify Solar campaign team has been working with other NW Climate groups to create a coalition to approach the city of Portland on Instant Permitting. This coalition headed up by TAO and Oregon Solar and Storage Industries Association (OSSIA), includes: Mobilizing Climate Action Today (MCAT), Electrify PDX, Electrify Now, Climate Solutions, Oregon Businesses for Climate, Solar Oregon, and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.
The Simplify Solar Coalition has scheduled a meeting with Commissioner Dunphy, Chair of Portland City Council, to discuss how the Portland Permit Bureau can benefit from utilizing the Symbian software solution for instant permitting. The goal of this meeting, scheduled for early September, is to then hold a meeting with the City Permit Bureau staff to initiate the adoption of instant permitting software.
Third Act Oregon has also been working with Greenlight America in support of the Nottingham Battery Energy Storage Facility in Sherwood OR. TAO has identified a Third Actor living just outside of Sherwood who has expertise in battery storage and is very familiar with the adjacent Tualatin River Wildlife Sanctuary, who has agreed to testify in support of this project to the Sherwood City Council.
The Sherwood City Council is tentatively scheduled to address the Nottingham project’s final permit this October. TAO will be soliciting its members outside of Sherwood to submit written comments in support of this project, once a final meeting date has been established.
The TAO Simplify Solar team worked with Pacific Northwest Climate Week staff and Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), to host a Home Energy Event on Tuesday July 14th. This event included a panel presentation on Community Solar in Oregon, and resulted in two conference participants signing up as new Community Solar customers.
Harnessing Our Collective Power: Attend the 2026 CUB Energy Policy Conference
Third Act Oregon and the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board (CUB) have a strong history of partnership, having worked closely on critical energy legislation during the 2026 legislative short session.
As we look toward the future of our state’s energy landscape, as we prepare for the 2027 legislative session, we wanted to invite interested Third Actors to CUB’s upcoming 16th annual energy policy conference.
Finding Local Solutions to Global Challenges
Oregon is currently facing unprecedented hurdles, including hyperscaled energy demand from data centers, significant utility rate increases, and record-high household disconnections. This conference is designed to explore how we can address these (inter)national energy challenges through local, community-driven solutions.
Event Details
Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Sentinel Hotel, 614 SW 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97205
Take Action: Register Today
We encourage Third Act Oregon members to attend and lend their voices to these essential conversations. Networking with regulators, advocates, and industry experts is a powerful way to strengthen our advocacy for affordable, clean energy.
Early Bird registration is open now and closes at 5:00 pm on September 18.
To register or learn more about the full agenda, visit the 2026 CUB Conference Website.
Third Act Oregon is proud to announce our membership in The ZERO Coalition.
The ZERO Coalition works to decarbonize Oregon’s built environment by promoting energy-efficient, high-performance, and zero-energy buildings while ensuring that low-income and rural communities benefit from these efforts.
TAO is now participating on ZERO’s technical and policy committees, joining people from a range of organizations and disciplines, including architects, engineers, and builders.
We are learning more about the sustainable building sector, and expect to move faster on plug-in solar and other building-related initiatives.
Email thorhinckley53@gmail.com or bowers.virginia@gmail.com.
We’ll help you:
- Research your town’s solar rules,
- Find out if your town uses SolarApp++, Permit Power or other apps to expedite permitting, and
- Work with other local grass-root organizations to make going solar easier and less expensive.
Why This Matters:
Every solar panel installed means less pollution, lower bills, and a safer future for our kids and grandkids.
All across America, outdated and inconsistent local rules still make solar 2-3x more expensive here than in other countries.
It doesn’t have to be this way. There are proven, ready-made solutions to streamline local solar rules—cutting red tape, saving money, and speeding up the clean energy revolution.
We don’t have to wait for Congress or the White House.
By fixing local permitting rules, Oregonians can unlock affordable solar now—putting power in the hands of people, not polluters. It’s the fastest, most direct way to counter right-wing attacks on clean energy. And when we cut fossil fuel companies out of the equation, that’s good for democracy too.
Together, we’ll make it simple to go solar everywhere, showing what’s possible when communities take action.
Press:
PV Magazine: Simplify Solar Volunteer Campaign Launches Across the US
Between the Lines: Nat’l campaign aims to make residential rooftop solar more affordable