Grounded Podcast: Oregon Energy Timeline Conversations: Energy Trust of Oregon with Margie Harris
On the third episode of a special Grounded series called Oregon Energy Timeline Conversations, we sit down with the Energy Trust of Oregon's founding executive director, Margie Harris. listen and Learn about the early days of ETO and the passionate energy work lead by Margie in this intimate and candid interview!
Margie Harris was the first permanent staff member hired by Energy Trust in 2001. Harris’ background in energy policy and organizational development includes work with the Oregon Department of Energy, City of Portland, Arthur Young and Company and TriMet. From Energy Trust’s early start to full operation, she led the organization as it evolved and expanded services to 1.5 million electric and natural gas utility customers in Oregon and southwest Washington.
“As executive director, Harris established an organization committed to its mission of delivering clean, affordable energy for utilities and their customers. By hiring and retaining talented staff and nourishing a culture of achievement, collaboration and innovation, Harris ensured Energy Trust consistently exceeded aggressive goals and accomplished notable successes in areas of strategic importance. Since it began serving customers in 2002, Energy Trust has:
Transformed more than half a million homes and businesses with energy efficiency and renewable power improvements.
Delivered 548 average megawatts of electric efficiency savings, 45 million annual therms of natural gas efficiency savings and 119 aMW of renewable energy generation. This is
enough low-cost, clean energy to power 516,000 average Oregon homes and heat another 89,000 Oregon homes with natural gas.
Generated $4.8 billion in economic benefit for the Oregon economy, including $1.5 billion in wages, $266 million in small business income and employment equivalent to 3,900 full-time jobs lasting a decade.
Kept Oregon’s air cleaner by avoiding 17.4 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equal to removing more than 3 million cars from the roads for a year.” - ETO Website
