Rebates may cover up to 50 percent of the net cost* of the system.
*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.
What is Considered a low-income Service Provider?
Community service organizations and tribal or local government entities are encouraged to email us to confirm eligibility as a low-income service provider before moving forward with a project. We are here to help!
Organizations eligible as "low-income service providers" include:
- Developers/owners of affordable multifamily housing that are eligible for public assistance administered by Oregon Housing & Community Services.
- A community service organization (public, tribal, or a 501(c) nonprofit) whose primary purpose is to offer health, dental, social, financial, energy conservation, or other assistive services to households below 100 percent of the state median income by household size.
- A tribal or local government entity, such as a city, county, or school district that uses public buildings to provide services to low- or moderate-income individuals, or to provide emergency shelter and/or communications in disaster situations.
Please see the Administrative Rules for complete eligibility requirements.
How Does My Organization 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.
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.