On April 19th, 2023, a network of rural energy stakeholders from across Oregon gathered in Lake County, Oregon, at the PLAYA Center on Summer Lake, for the second annual Statewide Rural Energy Convening.

PLAYA, as the event is often referred to, is a unique multi-day opportunity for non-profit organizations, federal and state agencies, utilities, and landowners to connect in a remote, distraction-free environment to discuss and strategize on overcoming barriers and advancing opportunities for rural community energy development.

The event, which was co-hosted by Lake County Resources Initiative (LCRI), Sustainable Northwest (SNW), the RARE Americorps Program, Wy’East RC&D, and USDA Rural Development, had roughly 30 people from various organizations participating. The relatively small number of attendees allowed each individual to participate actively during the various workshops, personal story-telling activities, and lively panel discussions. This event and network are made possible by Energy Trust of Oregon and a USDA Rural Energy Development Assistance (REDA) grant that aims to fund renewable energy technical assistance for agricultural producers and rural small businesses.

As the country moves rapidly to transition to a clean energy future and take advantage of the unprecedented funding opportunities introduced in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), convening to discuss rural energy needs has never been more important. Rural communities have been historically underrepresented in energy transition conversations and overburdened by energy costs. The PLAYA attendees, collaborating with their affiliated organizations, aim to develop a statewide, coordinated rural energy network that is customer-focused and results-driven. This includes developing effective strategies to ensure rural communities can access their fair share of the incoming federal funding.

The conversations, ideas, and connections that PLAYA cultivates are unparalleled due to the unique, off-the-grid nature of the event. The PLAYA center, which is located in the high desert region of the state right on the edge of Summer Lake – an alkali lake with breathtaking views and vast wildlife activity, offers little to no cell service and very limited wifi. This environment allows attendees to dive deeper into each conversation, collaborate more efficiently, and work together to formulate effective strategies for overcoming barriers to funding, capacity, and information gaps.

Top-level themes that were discussed included:

Due to capacity constraints of organizations and agencies, the influx in federal funding is not only an opportunity but also a challenge

Rural communities (landowners/customers) require more technical assistance when navigating energy incentives, grant applications, and project technical assistance
Further resource-sharing and collaboration across the rural energy network is crucial to properly assist rural energy customers.

As PLAYA concluded, it was increasingly clear that there is a monumental amount of work to be done to ensure community energy development prioritizes the needs of rural communities. Fortunately, it was even more evident that the strong, diverse, statewide network that gathered at PLAYA was equipped with the skills and resources to create a clean energy future that elevates rural voices and priorities.

Special thanks to the Stolte Family Foundation for supporting Sustainable Northwest and the Pacific Northwest's rural, clean energy economy.