Jefferson County tour highlights how manufacturers and farms can cut costs with energy efficiency. July 8, 2026 The Made in Jefferson County Tour included a stop at Poland Organic Dairy. Energy Trust of Oregon sponsored and participated in the Made in Jefferson County Tour on June 18, hosted by Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO). The tour brought together business leaders, community members and regional partners to learn more about the businesses helping drive Jefferson County's economy. Stops included Madras-based operations KEITH Manufacturing Co., Central Oregon Seeds, Inc. and Poland Organic Dairy. The businesses featured on the tour reflected the diversity of Jefferson County's growing economy. While the region has deep agricultural roots, it is also home to manufacturers and industrial businesses that are investing in innovation and growth. For Energy Trust, the event was an opportunity to share how energy efficiency can support long-term business success. "Energy Trust works alongside businesses and operations across Oregon to help them cut energy use and lower operating costs," said Nate Merrill, Central Oregon Outreach Manager for Energy Trust. "When businesses invest in energy-efficient equipment and processes, they often see lower utility bills, less maintenance and new opportunities to reinvest those savings back into their operations." Two of the businesses featured on the tour - KEITH Manufacturing and Central Oregon Seeds - have partnered with Energy Trust on energy-saving projects. KEITH Manufacturing has worked with Energy Trust since 2005 on projects including lighting upgrades, and Central Oregon Seeds has partnered with Energy Trust on lighting upgrades, energy assessments and Strategic Energy Management. Energy Trust helps farmers, ranchers and manufacturers of all sizes identify opportunities to reduce energy use and improve efficiency. Through incentives, technical expertise and ongoing support, Energy Trust helps these operations make investments that can lower costs and support long-term growth. "When local businesses reduce operating costs, they can invest more in their employees, facilities and future growth," Merrill said. "Those benefits extend beyond individual businesses and help support economic activity throughout the region. That's why Energy Trust believes energy efficiency and economic development go hand in hand." Are you interested in learning how Energy Trust can support your facility? Get the conversation started by reaching Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc. at all 1.866.202.0576 or by email at [email protected]

Community Partner Network launches, supporting greater impact for underserved communities. July 2, 2026 In June, Energy Trust of Oregon launched the Community Partner Network, a centralized pathway to connect trusted local organizations with Energy Trust resources to help underserved communities access energy efficiency and renewable solutions. Customers who directly participate in clean energy programs realize the greatest benefits, including more control of their energy use and lower energy bills. But Energy Trust data reveal that customers with low incomes, people of color and customers in rural areas have participated in its programs to a lesser degree. These priority customers received fewer benefits than other customers despite helping fund services provided by Energy Trust through charges on their utility bills. The new Community Partner Network is a critical component of Energy Trust's efforts to create greater impact for priority customers by strengthening collaborations with community partners. These local organizations have established relationships within their communities and help connect people with resources, programs and services to meet their energy-saving needs. The network supports Energy Trust's long-term strategic priorities to expand equitable access to programs and deepen community partnerships. By investing in these relationships, Energy Trust can better connect customers with the resources and support they need in ways that are responsive to the unique needs of their communities. "Community partners hold deep, trusting relationships with the communities they serve," said Julia Baumgartner, program manager on Energy Trust's Program Integration Team. "They bring knowledge of community needs, values and lived experiences that can help us shape Energy Trust programs to be more impactful." Over the past several years, Energy Trust has expanded its community partnerships, including co-delivering enhanced incentives through Community Partner Funding, collaborating on outreach and education initiatives and new approaches. These funds help local organizations expand their capacity to engage communities, build awareness and connect customers with Energy Trust programs and resources. Through these engagements, community partners shared a need for more clarity, simplicity and support in working with Energy Trust. The Community Partner Network was designed in direct response to this feedback. It is not a replacement for Energy Trust's specialized offers for community partners, but rather a more streamlined and centralized way for these organizations to engage with Energy Trust. When an organization is accepted into the network, a dedicated relationship manager from Energy Trust's outreach team will work directly with them to identify and help them navigate to relevant programs and offers. The organization will receive access to Energy Trust program training and tailored resources, such as business development funds and custom support with contracts, as needed. "The Community Partner Network is all about relationships," said Baumgartner. "By strengthening how we collaborate, provide reliable support and communicate with community partners we can work together to increase access to our offers and investments."

Flavor and efficiency: Amy's Kitchen and Energy Trust of Oregon partner for practical energy savings. June 17, 2026 Amy's Kitchen teamed up with Energy Trust of Oregon to boost efficiency and reduce waste at its Medford facility For Amy's Kitchen, commitment to sustainability runs as deep as its commitment to wholesome, organic food. As one of the largest independent organic vegetarian food producers in the United States, the company has built its reputation by cooking real food with care using ingredients you'd find in your own kitchen. Family-owned since its founding nearly 40 years ago, Amy's continues to cook everything in-house, operating its own facilities - including the one in White City, Oregon, near Medford, where frozen pizzas, burritos, entrées and soups are made by a team of about 700 employees. The hands-on approach to food production naturally extends to how the company manages energy, with a focus on operational efficiency and continuous improvement across its facilities. When operating large, energy-intensive food plants, every incremental improvement counts. And in Medford, where the company has been part of the Rogue Valley community since 2007, that philosophy of continuous improvement recently led to a practical, high-impact energy upgrade. A continuous improvement mindset Energy use in food manufacturing is complex. Cooking, refrigeration and process loads dominate, and upgrades can be hard to prioritize when production schedules are tight and margins are thin. "In food manufacturing, capital tends to go first toward what directly increases or improves the ability to make food," Renaud des Rosiers, Amy's director of sustainability said. "Energy infrastructure projects can be hard to prioritize when weighed against a new sauce kettle or dough mixer that are rightly seen as mission critical." To keep efficiency moving forward, Amy's built long-term partnerships that help identify and implement the right projects at the right time. Over the past few years, the Amy's team began working closely with Energy Trust of Oregon. Amy's received no-cost technical support and detailed audits that revealed opportunities to trim waste and improve operations - without overwhelming their on-site engineering staff. "Energy Trust really helps us prioritize," said its Engineering Manager Jason Rowe who emphasized that "they bring in energy efficiency experts to support our in-house engineering and operating teams." This outside perspective can help prioritize opportunities by identifying inefficient energy use that often goes unseen during day-to-day operations, while also quantifying these savings and building the case for action. Amy's received $20,000 in cash incentives from Energy Trust which covered a significant portion of project costs Identifying a simple, high-return fix One of the first opportunities that stood out was also one of the simplest: failed steam traps. Amy's roughly 400,000-square-foot Medford facility uses a central steam plant to generate heat for cooking processes. Steam circulates through stainless-steel kettles and other equipment to cook sauces, soups and fillings, before being collected for reheating and reuse. Steam traps act like pressure valves, ensuring steam flows properly and condensate is removed safely. But when a trap fails in the open position, valuable high-pressure steam escapes directly into the atmosphere. The result is wasted natural gas used to generate that steam - and lost dollars. Energy Trust's walkthrough identified 40 failed steam traps in the Medford plant. Replacing them was a straightforward job for the maintenance team, and the savings are substantial. As a natural gas customer of Avista, the project is now estimated to save more than 70,000 therms of natural gas per year, or almost $37,000 in annual utility savings. "These are mechanical parts, not high-tech systems," des Rosiers said. "But fixing them was like turning off a set of open valves pouring energy into the air. For a relatively small investment, the impact was huge." An Energy Trust representative Scott Scheuneman (left) and Engineering Manager Jason Rowe (right) discuss how replacing failed steam traps can increase efficiency and bring down utility costs Partnership that makes projects possible Through Energy Trust, Amy's received $20,000 in cash incentives, covering a significant portion of the overall project cost. Beyond the financial boost, Amy's team valued the technical expertise and facilitation that helped turn a simple idea into a completed project, along with a straightforward form that made it easy to move the project forward. "In a production environment, everyone's first job is keeping the line running," Rowe explained. "When Energy Trust can come in with a thermal camera, locate exactly where the problems are, and even mark them on a blueprint, that changes the equation. Suddenly, a lower-priority maintenance issue becomes an actionable project with quantifiable benefits." Energy Trust's involvement didn't stop with steam traps. The partnership has generated a prioritized list of efficiency opportunities for future years - from optimizing exhaust-fan controls to deeper process improvements. Each project is being evaluated for feasibility, payback and potential Energy Trust incentives to help make it pencil out. Looking ahead The Medford facility's steam trap replacement reflects exactly the kind of grounded, measurable progress the company values. "We're proud of doing things the right way," des Rosiers said. "This project shows that small, practical steps can make a real difference - and when you multiply that across our portfolio, the impact adds up." For Energy Trust of Oregon, the collaboration with Amy's highlights the power of partnership in helping manufacturers of all sizes stay competitive while reducing energy costs. Engineering Manager Jason Rowe points out the impact that this simple change made in their facility Key project results * Received $20,000 in Energy Trust incentives, covering nearly 90 percent of total project costs * $37,000 in annual utility savings * Achieved an estimated annual natural gas savings of more than 70,000 therms * Reduced operating costs and avoided wasted energy from failed steam traps * Improved process reliability and reduced maintenance demands You can also reach its team directly to answer any questions you have. Give Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc. a call at 1.866.202.0576 or email at [email protected].