(Portland, OR, Thursday, June 6, 2019) — Portland General Electric announced the creation of the Drive Change Fund to award local community organizations and businesses grants that will help electrify Oregon’s transportation sector. From transit buses and passenger cars to community service vehicles and electric bikes, the fund will award $1.75 million to electrification projects.

Funded by the sale of Oregon Clean Fuels Program credits, the program will return the value of the credits to local communities by advancing transportation electrification projects aimed at expanding mobility options and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

John McFarland, chief customer officer, Portland General Electric, shares more about this opportunity.

SOUNDBITE #1:

ACHIEVING A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE IS DEPENDENT ON SWITCHING FROM TRANSPORTATION POWERED BY FOSSIL FUELS TO ELECTRICITY. THE DRIVE CHANGE FUND CREATES A PLATFORM FOR INNOVATION, ONE DESIGNED TO ACCELERATE THE PATH TO A FUTURE POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY.

SOUNDBITE #2:

CUSTOMERS ARE ALWAYS AT THE CENTER OF ALL WE DO. WITH THE CREATION OF THIS NEW PROGRAM, WE’RE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING AN ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT SERVES EVERYONE AND CONTINUES MOVING TOWARDS THE GOAL OF REDUCING OREGON’S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY TEN PERCENT IN TEN YEARS.

For more information, visit portlandgeneral.com/drivechangefund.