Machinist Tom Ullmann helps power public events using solar
Tom Ullmann, a 29-year member of
Machinists Lodge 1005 and a lead gen-
eral mechanic for the City of Portland,
powered last month’s Portland River-
Fest and Portland Triathlon at Water-
front Park with 100 percent solar
power.
His company, Solar REgards, set up
three mobile solar generators that sup-
plied electricity to the official race tim-
ing system, RiverFest stage, a medical
tent, the race awards presentation stage,
vendor booths, computers, printers, and
a power strip for recharging cell phones
and cameras.
“This is the first time that I know of
that one company has powered two
events simultaneously using solar,” Ull-
mann said.
A self-described renewable energy
application designer, Ullmann has
worked for the City of Portland’s Of-
fice of Transportation since 1982.
In 1995, through his job with the
city, he collaborated with PGE to de-
sign the nation’s first mobile solar gen-
erators for a municipality. Portland op-
erates two mobile solar generated
vehicles — an environmental emer-
gency investigation van and a traffic
meter installation and repair van.
Ullmann has been providing renew-
able energy power for community
events through his own business for
equipment mounted on his off-the-util-
ity grid house in Mosier, Oregon, near
Hood River.
“So now I can power larger events
and am still able to take clean/quiet
power back to my vacation home, too,”
he said.
He came up with a name for his
company last summer while providing
renewable energy power for Metro’s
booth at Sunday Parkways.
“I came up with the name of Solar
REgards, as I used it to sign-off on with
my e-mails,” he said. “Now I have four
mobile solar generator systems and a
100 station charging trailer for cell
phones, laptops, Garmin GPS, and
cameras.”
Now Ullmann is designing new re-
Fact:
Tom Ullmann, a member of Machinists Lodge 1005 and a lead general
mechanic for the City of Portland, applauds triathletes as they cross the finish
line in the Portland Triathlon, held Aug. 21 at Waterfront Park. Ullmann
supplied three mobile solar generators that he designed that generated all the
power for the triathlon, as well as the Portland RiverFest, which was held
simultaneously at the park.
about five years.
“It started with 300 watts of union
made photovoltaic panels mounted in
the back of my union-made Toyota
Tacoma pickup,” he said.
newable energy equipment for emer-
gency management communications
and outdoor lighting systems.
“So when the grid goes down, my
RE systems will be up,” he said.
Ullmann plans to retire from the city
in December. As soon as he does, he
will begin applying for grants from the
Oregon Lottery or possibly the Port-
land Development Commission to start
his own manufacturing business using
Northwest-made products and labor.
“I’ll be marketing this technology to
businesses and states, like Hawaii, who
have interest to compete with the high
cost of power there and other power-
challenged areas past our borders.”
For more information, Ullmann can
be reached at 503-522-7728.
The labor movement is essential for
creating a strong middle class.
Thank you, organized labor.
He said his business has grown as
the city moved to reduce the usage of
its vans for public events.
He designed a hybrid (wind and so-
lar) renewable energy trailer using the
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HAPPY LABOR DAY TO ALL
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