The Burnside Blog
Gerding Edlen to Launch Renewable Energy Company
Dennis Wilde and I talked a bit about renewable energy during our February interview, but he never mentioned what the Daily Journal of Commerce’s Libby Tucker recently reported: that his company, Gerding Edlen, has launched Gerding Edlen Energy Company (GEEC), a green energy company of its own.
It makes sense if you think about it. In the United States, buildings consume more energy than anything else, and Gerding Edlen has more LEED-certified projects than any development firm in the country. It seems to be a perfect fit.
Wilde did tell me in our interview that he thought renewable energy could be the greatest economic opportunity that Oregon has ever faced. In the age of climate change and increased fossil fuel prices (which will presumably continue as the world’s developing nations like India and China rapidly industrialize, competing for fixed resources), few places on earth are better suited to benefit economically than Oregon. Portland has far more green buildings per capita than any city in the country and is exporting its latent knowledge globally. Wilde himself regularly speaks all over the world.
Plus, Oregon has every resource to craft an energy-based economy. We have wind power, biomass, geothermal, wave, etc. And with so many green companies, including Gerding Edlen, Portland is far ahead of the pack.
Portland’s moment on the global stage could be right around the corner. Will we take advantage of it? Or will we, like our basketball team, blow a 14-point lead in the 4th quarter? That’s up to us and our leaders. Let’s not let this one get away.
