Former Portland landfill gets solar makeover
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Workers mount solar panels as part of a new community solar array off NE 82nd Ave. Photo: Courtesy of the Bird Alliance of Oregon
A former landfill in Northeast Portland is being transformed into a community solar project expected to begin operating in February.
Why it matters: The project could cut electricity bills by around 40% for eligible low-income households, according to the Bird Alliance of Oregon.
How it works: The 800-kilowatt solar array will feed energy into the grid.
- Residents who get electricity from Pacific Power can apply to become "subscribers" and, if approved, will receive credits on their electricity bills for power generated by the array.
- The array is expected to help up to 140 households save on their electricity bills, per the alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for birds, animals and projects that benefit the wider natural environment.
Catch up quick: The organization bought the property across from McDaniel High School in 2024 with plans to build an animal hospital and create a nature sanctuary.
- The 12.5-acre site previously housed a landfill and rock quarry and served as a dumping ground for debris during the construction of Interstate 205.
- The animal hospital won't be completed for several more years, but volunteers have already put in more than 500 native plants.
- The new array, sitting on roughly 2 acres on the south end of the site, will join several other community solar projects in Portland, the most recent of which, in the Cully neighborhood, came online last year.
Follow the money: The $4 million array was fully funded through a grant from the Portland Clean Energy Fund.
- The solar project came together through partnerships between the alliance, the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
- Imagine Energy, a solar installer, also partnered with Leaders Become Legends, a nonprofit that provides clean energy job training to young people.
Zoom out: The project is part of broader improvements along 82nd Avenue, where the city plans to add trees, pedestrian islands and other infrastructure over the next decade.
What's next: APANO is hosting a series of workshops to help explain eligibility for applicants, including one Tuesday at Roseway Heights Middle School (7334 NE Siskiyou St.) starting at 6:30pm.