State of Oregon: INCENTIVES - Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program: Homeowners

Oregon homeowners can receive a rebate of up to $5,000 for a solar electric system and up to $2,500 for an energy storage system.

Rebate Amounts

Customer Type	Rebate Calculation
Low- or moderate-income homeowners	$1.80 per watt (DC) of installed capacity, up to 60% of the net cost* or $5,000, whichever is less.
Homeowners not considered low- or moderate-income who are also eligible for an electric utility incentive	$0.20 per watt (DC) of installed capacity, up to 40% of the net cost or $5,000, whichever is less.
Homeowners not considered low- or moderate-income who are not eligible for an electric utility incentive	$0.50 per watt (DC) of installed capacity, up to 40% of the net cost or $5,000, whichever is less.

*ODOE defines the net cost of a system as the total of all eligible costs minus any incentive provided by an electric utility or by Energy Trust of Oregon.

How Do I Receive a Rebate?

Rebates are paid to the ODOE-approved contractor who installs the system, so please start by reaching out to an approved contractor to talk about your project. Contractors will also be able to help identify other potential solar savings, such as a federal tax credit or an Energy Trust of Oregon incentive.

The total rebate amount paid to the contractor will be passed on as savings to you, the customer. You will not need to pay the amount in advance and wait for a rebate check; the savings will be taken off the total cost of the system.

How Do I Find an Approved Contractor?

Click here to download a list of approved contractors. We will update this list regularly.

How Do I Receive the Low- or moderate-Income Rebate?

The Oregon Department of Energy's program is designed to expand access to renewable solar to Oregonians with lower incomes. If your household is considered low- or moderate-income, you could receive a rebate worth up to 60 percent of the cost of your system. There are three pathways to confirm eligibility (please work with your contractor, and contact us if you have questions):

The homeowner is determined eligible for certain Oregon Housing and Community Services programs. See LMI Eligibility Option 1 form for more information.
The homeowner is determined eligible for certain Oregon Department of Human Services or Oregon Health Authority programs. See LMI Eligibility Option 2 form for more information.
The homeowner can prove qualifying household income. The homeowner must provide an Oregon Department of Revenue tax transcript for each tax filer residing at the household physical address. See LMI Eligibility Option 3 form for more information.

What Else Should I Know?

Solar and storage installations must be installed on real property in Oregon by an ODOE-approved contractor. Rebates are issued to approved contractors, who pass the savings on to customers. The contractor must submit a reservation application before starting construction or installation of a solar system or paired solar and storage system in order to be eligible for a rebate .

In the case of a paired solar and storage system, they must be purchased together by the same approved contractor. Stand-alone storage systems, or systems added to existing solar, are not eligible. Solar installations must also meet minimum Total Solar Resource Fraction measurements (your contractor will calculate this) and other required technical criteria.

Customers interested in solar with paired storage systems should consult with their installers about what type of battery installation will work best for them. A system must be installed with "islanding" capability (the ability to stand alone apart from the grid) to be able to provide power in the event of a power outage or grid failure.

The systems must follow electric utility-specific rules and regulations, as well as other technical and programmatic requirements. You can review Solar + Storage Rebate Program Oregon Secretary of State Administrative Rules online.

RESOURCES

HB 2618

Rebate Program Rulemaking

Rulemaking Comment Portal

Administrative Rules

Approved Contractors

For Low-Income Service Providers

For Contractors

U.S. DOE's Homeowner’s Guide to the Federal Tax Credit for Solar Photovoltaics

Smart Solar Shopping Tips From U.S. DOE

PROGRAM FLYERS

Program Flyer - English