Portland Oregon Visitors Bureau to Launch 100 Percent Solar Powered Web site

The Portland Oregon Visitors Association (POVA) is planning to launch its new Web site on September 1, 2004, which will be 100 percent solar powered.

The improbable changeover was made possible by Solar Data Centers (SDC), a company that uses solar energy exclusively to run its clients' Internet operations. SDC deals primarily with companies and associations interested in environmental issues. For POVA, whose tourism slogan is "It's not easy being green," the switch to a clean, renewable energy source made sense.

The cost is also nearly identical to what POVA paid for its previous, more conventionally powered Web site

"People think of Portland as a green destination, both in terms of the scenery and the city's environmental commitment," explained Joe D'Alessandro, POVA's president and CEO. "This is just one way that we can live up to Portland's impressive international reputation."

According to POVA, the switch to 100 percent solar power is the monthly equivalent of:

• 1.72 acres of forest acres not being cut down


• 16,286 auto miles not being driven


• 4.32 tons of coal not being burned


• 14,482 pounds of CO2 not being produced

"Portland's is the first convention and visitors bureau in the country to use solar energy to completely power its Web site," said Karla Nutt, marketing manager for the Portland Oregon Visitors Association. "Portlanders have always had a passion for protecting the environment, for recycling, for conservation."

"We found that a few other CVBs [convention and visitors bureaus] were using solar power to cover a portion of the energy needed to run their Web sites," said Karla Nutt. "However, after doing a lot of research, neither we nor SDC could find any CVB Web sites that relied 100 percent on solar power. It's exciting to be on the leading edge of this green movement."