The project, planned for the southern end of the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s 12.5-acre property across from McDaniel High School, will consist of seven arrays with hundreds of solar panels. It is expected to be completed by February. Eligible participants must be Portland residents who receive electricity from Pacific Power or Portland General Electric; 130 enrollment spots are currently available.

Community solar allows people who rent or otherwise cannot install panels on a roof to share the benefits of a larger solar installation. The Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, or APANO, estimates participating households could save about $300 annually, with total savings of roughly $900,000 over the project’s 20-year lifespan.

The Bird Alliance bought the property two years ago with plans to create a nature sanctuary and build a wildlife hospital. The site was once a rock quarry and was later filled with rubble from Interstate 205 construction. The solar installation will occupy part of the land alongside the planned community and wildlife uses.

“We purchased this site on Northeast 82nd, this 12-acre parcel, with the intent of building our new wildlife hospital in this space and transforming what was once a landfill into a community asset,” said Micah Meskel, the Bird Alliance’s conservation director.

The solar project is backed by Portland’s Clean Energy Fund, which is investing more than $60 million in the broader revitalization of the 82nd Avenue corridor. That spending also supports transit and affordable housing. The fund is intended to reduce climate pollution while helping communities that have faced environmental and economic inequities.

APANO community development director Duncan Hwang said the solar proposal brought together goals for climate resilience, household savings and community partnerships. He lives a few blocks from the site and said residents have organized for decades to secure improvements along the avenue.

The corridor, once a state highway, received fewer upgrades after Interstate 205 opened. Portland took control of 82nd Avenue from the state in 2022, and the city has since added bike lanes, pedestrian crossings, trees and sidewalk improvements as part of a multiyear safety and resilience effort. More transportation investment, including expanded public transit, is planned.

The project also includes workforce development. Solar installer Imagine Energy is partnering with Leaders Become Legends, a nonprofit that trains people — including formerly incarcerated individuals — in trades such as solar installation and electrical work. The program incorporates mental-health support, said co-founder Breto Jackson.

The Bonneville Environmental Foundation, which operates other community solar projects in Portland, will help connect residents with the benefits of the installation. The 82nd Avenue project is expected to be the seventh community solar site funded by Portland’s Clean Energy Fund.

Portland residents interested in the program can apply through the project’s enrollment form to learn whether they qualify.