ENERGY
The availability and use of energy is a significant factor in the development of the land use pattern of Marion County. The present location and form of the residential, commercial and industrial centers have their basis in an abundance of relatively inexpensive energy.
Since energy consumption is increasing more rapidly than energy production it is becoming more important to conserve as much energy as possible. To accomplish this, we must first analyze our energy consumption and resources and then devise a strategy to minimize energy waste. It is estimated that over one half of all energy used in this County is wasted.9 Revising the land use and transportation patterns to be more energy efficient can help.
Energy Consumption
There is no identified consumption data specifically for Marion County; therefore, data on the State as a whole is presented. Since energy use is fairly consistent through out the State, the data should present a reasonably accurate statement of the situation in Marion County.
Figure No. 4 shows the direct total energy use by the major sectors.
Figure No. 4
Source: Oregon Department of Energy
It is important to note that nearly 40 percent of all direct energy is consumed by transportation. Of that amount, 65 percent is attributed to private automobile use. In addition, personal consumption of energy accounts for 45 percent of total direct energy used. Figure No. 5 shows that the combination of the use of the private auto and space heating accounts for 86 percent of the typical family’s energy used.
Figure No. 5
Source: Oregon Department of Energy
These two areas of energy use are where land use planning considerations can have the most significant impact on energy conservation. These impacts can be exerted through efforts to minimize travel distances and by maximizing efficiency of residential siting. The siting of residences in rural locations far from job opportunities and needed service facilities is one area that is of significant concern to energy conservation.
Policies that deal with the concerns of energy conservation and the land use relationship in Marion County can be found in the energy section of the Comprehensive Plan Policy document.
Inventory of Energy Sources
In addition to consumption data it is also important to inventory local energy sources for their potential future development. In the summaries that follow, each energy source is discussed in terms of its present and potential energy significance within Marion County. Alternative sources will be examined considering the likelihood of their development in the County.
Hydroelectric
There are two hydroelectric generating plants in Marion County. Detroit Dam is located at the western end of Detroit Lake and Big Cliff Dam is located just downstream from the Detroit facility. Detroit Dam has a total capacity of 100,000 kilowatts from two generating units and Big Cliff Dam has a capacity of 18,000 kilowatts from two units.
In response to the need for increasing power development, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers identified several alternative measures to increase power generation in Marion County. Of these, it was determined that four warranted further study.
The alternatives involve developing additional generators at Detroit and Big Cliff Dams, increasing regulated storage at Big Cliff Lake or building a new generator downstream of the Big Cliff facility.
Detroit Lake presently provides 340,000 acre-feet of storage capacity and is a popular recreation area. In addition to storing water for power generation, the dam serves to control floods and irrigation. Regulated flow is also essential in maintaining fish and wildlife habitats along the course of the Santiam.
The construction of additional generators would require a drastic reduction in the water level of Detroit Lake for at least one year. This would result in serious environmental and economic concerns. There would not be enough water retained in the reservoir to augment stream flows during the spring season. This would result in the loss of one year’s hatch of salmon and steelhead.
The river and lake would have such low water levels that their recreational quality would also be seriously affected during construction. There is virtually no additional potential for hydroelectric development in Marion County.10
Solid Waste
The combustion of municipal solid waste is a means of reducing the volume of waste for landfill disposal. It is also a means of generating energy in the form of steam. The feasibility of developing this potential energy source in Marion County was explored in a study titled “Resource Recovery from Solid Waste for Salem, Marion and Polk Counties.”
Approximately 85 percent of the area’s waste could be converted into refuse-derived fuel provided that markets were available. The cost of building a facility to separate and shred solid waste and the cost of converting burners presently using other types of fuel also limit the possibility of developing this energy source.
Although it is doubtful that solid waste will be used to generate energy in Marion County in the near future, the separation and recycling of that waste could be very effective in conserving energy. For example, only 15 percent of the energy used to produce aluminum is needed to recycle it.
A major transfer site for the separation of recyclable waste is presently being planned.11
Wind
To generate electricity from wind requires an average constant wind of 10 miles per hour. There are very few places in Marion County that could meet this requirement. These sites would be in the foothills of the Cascades and could probably only generate enough electricity for a single household. (Cost, $1,106,000 for a home generator that could produce 110 kilowatts). (Large machines can generate 13 megawatts.)12
Nuclear
There are no nuclear reactors in Marion County and it is not likely that a nuclear plant will be built here in the foreseeable future. The Energy Siting Council has mapped areas it would consider unsuitable for nuclear power plants. These include prime agricultural land, natural resource areas, densely populated areas and areas of potential geologic hazards. Most of Marion County falls into one of these categories; only the area between Range 2 and Range 6 East could be considered for a nuclear plant.13
Solar
Solar energy is presently being used as an energy source in Marion County primarily for heating and water heating in many homes and Chemeketa Community College. At the present time the cost limits its application to a limited number of users. There are however, several programs that provide financial incentives for its use. A “solar tax credit” as well as HUD (Housing and Urban Development) and ERDA (Energy Research and Development Association) grants for solar energy systems are presently available in the Stayton area.14
Geothermal
Marion County has known geothermal resource areas. Within the Willamette National Forest there are 44,282 acres considered to have geothermal potential in the Breitenbush area. An environmental statement was completed in January 1978 by the National Forests describing the area and the potential benefits and hazards for the development of the resource.
The Mt. Hood National Forest has approximately 17 leases outstanding that cover 46 square miles. Leases are obtained from the United States Department of Forestry and must be renewed and reevaluated at each phase. These phases range from preliminary exploration through the development of the resource.
Measurements of subsurface temperatures indicate that electric power generation is not economically feasible at this time. There does exist a potential for industry or space heating.15
Gas and Oil Resources
Gas and oil leases can be obtained and have been issued in Marion County. They are under the regulation of the Department of Environmental Quality. Permits for drilling in areas that have been leased must be approved by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Water Resources Department and the Marion County Planning Commission. Several exploratory wells have been drilled in Marion County and all of them have been dry.16
Pump Storage Potential
Pumped storage is basically a refinement of conventional hydrogeneration. It involves storing energy by pumping water into a storage reservoir during off-peak periods at night, weekends and during high stream flow periods and releasing it when peaking power is most needed.
Five sites were originally taken under consideration for their pumped-storage system in the County. It is assumed that this alternative will become more attractive as energy demands and costs increase over the next few years.17
Bethel Turbine Plant
The Bethel Turbine Plant is located east of Salem. It is a standby system that is used to generate electricity only in the event of a major power outage or in a limited power situation. The Plant is capable of generating half of the amount of electricity normally consumed by the City of Salem.
The system consists of two generators, each of which is powered by two fixed turbine engines. These engines can run on natural gas or oil. Each generator is capable of producing 56,700 kilowatts per hour. When both generators are operating at full capacity, the Plant can produce 113,400 kilowatts per hour.
The system was used for a short period of time in 1976 when the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant was shut down. It would have been used again in the same year if the drought situation had continued.18
Marion County is an energy importer since there are nonrenewable energy resources present and only a small amount of the renewable energy resources have been developed. Renewable resources include water, solar, wind, geothermal and municipal, forest and farm waste. Nonrenewable energy resources are petroleum, natural gas, coal and nuclear fuels. Since most of the renewable resources have not yet been utilized, they will play an increasingly important role in Marion County’s energy future.
The conservation of energy is considered one of the most important energy sources since it costs approximately six times more to produce new energy than conserved energy costs. Conserved energy is the most economical form of energy available and has the greatest potential for meeting much of future energy needs.
9
Oregon Department of Energy, Community Energy Planning.
10
Review of Power Planning in the Pacific Northwest by the Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission, May, 1975. Water Resources Development for Oregon prepared by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Paul Wemhoener, Water Resources Planning Section, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
11
“Resource Recovery from Solid Waste for Salem, Marion and Polk Counties, 1976.” Russell Fetrow, Department of Environmental Quality, State of Oregon.
12
Bob Baker, OSU Department of Atmospheric Sciences.
13
W. Kelly Woods, Energy Facility Siting Coordinator.
14
Oregon Department of Energy.
15
Al Prigge and Vern McLean, Willamette and Mt. Hood Ranger District. C.E. Wassinger, District Geothermal Supervisor U.S. Department of Interior.
16
Environmental analysis record for oil and gas leasing within the Santiam Resource Area, Bureau of Land Management, April, 1976.
17
J.C. Heutter, Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Oregon. Pumped-Storage Inventory of the Pacific Northwest part of the Columbia River Tributaries Review Study (Report No. 26), January, 1976.
18
Dave Calvert, Portland General Electric.