Governor and Senator Wyden co-convene Clean Tech Manufacturing Task Force to advance Oregon’s transition to a clean energy economy.

On Thursday, Governor Tina Kotek, Senator Ron Wyden, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, and leaders in the public and private sectors kicked off the first meeting of the Clean Tech Manufacturing Task Force.

The Clean Tech Task Force, which is co-chaired by Governor Kotek, Senator Wyden and Daimler Truck North America president and CEO John O’Leary, seeks to galvanize Oregon’s competitiveness in attracting, expanding, and sustaining new and existing clean energy technology manufacturers. This task force will work to leverage opportunities from the federal Inflation Reduction Act, which includes roughly $60 billion in tax credits, direct loans, and grants for domestic manufacturing across the clean energy supply chain.

Founding organizations include the Oregon Business Council, Oregon Environmental Council, Oregon BlueGreen Alliance, Oregon Business for Climate, and Technology Association of Oregon.

“Oregonians understand the challenges and opportunities ahead of us in the face of accelerating climate change, and Oregon is a leader in manufacturing,” Governor Kotek said. “We have the know-how and commitment to grow our role in clean tech manufacturing. This task force will be the catalyst to get us there.”

“There’s a lot of green in blue-collar domestic manufacturing jobs now and in the future,” Senator Wyden said. “And this week’s successful kickoff of Oregon’s clean tech task force begins the path for our state to best take advantage of the historic clean energy investment credits I worked to pass into federal law. I’m proud to co-chair this task force and confident it will succeed, given the proven road map for achievements made by a similar task force on semiconductors.”

“Climate change means temperatures are rising and weather events are more severe, but Oregon has what it takes to justly transition to a clean energy economy – innovative advanced technologies, great public universities, strong workforce partnerships, and bold leadership,” Congresswoman Bonamici said. "The new Clean Tech Manufacturing Task Force will help Oregon attract, expand, and sustain clean energy jobs and grow the clean energy workforce by leveraging investments through the Inflation Reduction Act. I look forward to working with Task Force members toward a cleaner, healthier, and brighter future.”

“What we do here in the near future has the potential for huge impact on the state’s job market and economy, and could firmly establish Oregon as a leading state for clean technology development,” said John O'Leary, president and CEO of Daimler Truck North America. “I’m truly excited at what we stand to achieve here together in this Clean Tech Task Force.”

"We are still in the early stages of the growth curve of the energy storage market with immense opportunity ahead,” said Joseph Lu, founder of Powin Energy and CEO of QPO Energy. “This task force will be a great opportunity for the local cleantech business community to influence policy making and appropriation of IRA funds, in order to maximize job growth and to establish Oregon as a cleantech powerhouse."

The Task Force will propose solutions to addressing barriers to expanding Oregon’s leadership in clean technology manufacturing, including:

• Industrial land and infrastructure;
• Incentives and procurement;
• Workforce development and job creation;
• Research, innovation, and entrepreneurship;
• Transmission capacity; and
• Regulatory environment.

The findings will be consolidated into a final Oregon Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing Report later this year.