Baker City Man Creates Independence with Wind Farms
BAKER CITY, OREGON: “The way I see it, it’s a necessary means to an end of dependence”, says Jeremy Thamert, President of Oregon Power Solutions in Baker City, Oregon. The “means” and the “end” that Thamert refers to is the increased power rate that he sees all over the country. “It [wind energy] is the difference between some farms falling by the wayside or being bought out, and other more versatile and flexible farms continuing to operate in rural areas”.
Thamert started his career working for Florida Power and Light with Stateline Wind Farm and in 2003 he started Oregon Power Solutions. In 2004 he had two of his projects granted money from the USDA to perform feasibility studies for the following year.
Thamert was then hired by the Oregon Military Department to perform a complete feasibility study that showed how wind energy could benefit all 50 sites the military currently has in operation. “It just seemed to snowball from there”, says Thamert.
Oregon Power Solutions and its eight local employees currently have 5 projects underway in Baker County and 12 small community projects that are owned locally in Eastern Oregon. In addition to wind towers Oregon Power Solutions constructs meteorology towers in order to better understand wind patterns. Says Thamert, “Not a lot of businesses are truly completely vertically integrated. There is a lot of risk involved when offering the complete package”. Currently Oregon Power Solutions has taken that risk in 7 western states. “We perform work for nearly every major wind farm developer that has interest in the Northwest”, adds Thamert.
With an Business Loan from the North East Oregon Economic Development District (NEOEDD), Thamert has been able to expand his business. “I had avoided the traditional financing until this opportunity arose”, says Thamert regarding the loan. “This loan allowed me to absorb all of the initial costs it takes to grow your business into one loan so that I could grow and expand when I needed to”. Thamert learned of this loan through his bank, which put him in touch with Senator Greg Smith. Smith then put Thamert in touch with Lisa Dawson of the NEOEDD.
Also a member of the Entrepreneur Advisory Board for Connecting Oregon for Rural Entrepreneurship (CORE) for the three counties in northeastern Oregon since 2005, Thamert provides input on the services CORE offers its entrepreneurs in the area. Oregon Power Solutions was also a featured business in the January Pub Talk in Baker City.
Thamert found that he needed the Business Loan this year when he started the Energy Efficiency Program through Oregon Power Solutions. With this program, you can cut the average homes utility costs. Oregon Power Solutions audits a home to determine how it uses energy and makes changes, which conserve power in that home. “We can tighten up a house quite a bit”, says Thamert. “We want to make sure you aren’t just heating your crawl space”.
Wind energy is a possibility for homes that are located outside of city limits according to Thamert. Height requirements for the system prevent it from being feasible inside city limits at this time where cities often have a 35-foot ceiling on any structures. Wind energy costs still run a little more than hydroelectric power at 3 ½ cents per kilowatt to the comparative 2½ cents. Thamert looks for that to change. “I don’t see it being that way much longer. 2008will show many changes in the current structure”, he says. In regards to rising energy costs Thamert adds, “There will be more to worry about than just rising gas prices”.
Thamert is also quick to mention that for a homeowner outside the city limits who is interested in wind energy, there are government incentives and grant opportunities available that a homeowner can apply for and receive up to 50% of the funding. Oregon Power Solutions educates homeowners about those programs and helps them apply for funding.
Through Oregon Power Solutions, Thamert sees only benefits from his projects. “It takes local resources to make a local project”, says Thamert. “You can look at large development and all the money it takes to bring that company forward is dependant on foreign oil”. Thamert refers to a saying he once heard. “For every $1 spent locally can generate $6 for a community”, he says. “A project that stays local will provide a net return. One million can generate six million a year for a local economy. And all the money stays local”.
Thamert believes Oregon Power Solutions gives locals a way to stay here, be self-sufficient and not be dependant on what happens globally. “As power rates continue to rise and our growth shows more and more demand, will there be enough energy generated to sustain us is the question”, says Thamert. “Diversification and independence is the key to limiting the impact of foreign oil and its repercussions. I strongly believe that”.
For more information on wind energy, visit www.oregonpowersolutions.com.
About RDI and CORE
Connecting Oregon for Rural Entrepreneurship (CORE) is a statewide effort to create more visibility and opportunity for rural economic development. Funded by a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant, CORE helps to strengthen and publicize rural entrepreneurship - the growing of small businesses to enhance economic diversity and power in rural Oregon.
The umbrella for CORE in Oregon is Rural Development Initiatives, Inc (RDI), a private non-profit organization located in Eugene. RDI's mission is to be a catalyst for community vitality in rural areas, working with rural leaders and volunteers to expand the knowledge, skills and networks for building communities. | 
