Residential Incentives

PV Incentives

Oregon State Tax Credits

RETC Qualifications

• Learn more about tax credits for solar.
• Residential Energy Tax Credit is scheduled to sunset on December 31, 2017.

A photovoltaic system must meet certain qualifications to earn a Residential Energy Tax Credit up to $6,000 (credit taken over four years), depending on the solar capacity of your system. See the RETC Rate Chart for more information.

Complete qualifications and instructions are outlined in the RETC Application.

Qualified PV systems must:

• Be installed or verified by an ODOE-certified tax credit technician .
• Have a minimum installed capacity of 200 watts.
• Have a minimum Total Solar Resource Fraction (TSRF) of 75%. TSRF is the fraction of usable solar energy that your panels should collect, based on shading and the tilt and orientation of the panels.

 Note: The RETC program is scheduled to sunset on December 31, 2017. RETC devices must be purchased by December 31, 2017, operational by April 1, 2018, and applications must be received by ODOE no later than June 1, 2018. 

Application

Your installing technian will help you complete the RETC application process through an online system called PowerClerk. Contact us with questions or to request a paper application for homeowner-installed systems. 

Oregon Dept. of Energy website on Residential Energy Tax Credits for Solar.
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PV Utility Rebate Programs

*Administered by Energy Trust of Oregon. Used in conjunction with State & Federal Tax Credits

Energy Trust of Oregon's website regarding Solar Electric for Homes.
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Federal Tax Credits

Federal tax credits are 30% of system costs of the total system cost after incentives (e.g. Energy Trust) which are paid directly to the contractor. These tax credits can be taken in the year the system is operational or can be carried forward if the credits exceed tax liability. There is no pass through option for federal tax credits. There is no maximum credit for systems placed in service after 2008.

To learn more, visit the US Dept. of Energy's website regarding Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credits.
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Thermal Incentives

Oregon State Tax Credits

Solar Domestic Water Heating Residential Tax Credits

Solar domestic water heating systems use roof-mounted solar collectors to pre-heat incoming cold water so that on a sunny day, little or no backup water heating is needed. More information is available on the solar water heating page.

1. System must be verified by a tax credit technician.
2. Tax credit is based on estimated energy savings for a typical four-person household.
3. Tax credit amount is $2.00 per kWh saved up to $6,000 beginning  September 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015.
4. Credit is limited to 100 percent of the total system cost.
5. Equipment must be new and either OG-300 certified or listed as a “Research and Development” system by ODOE.

Solar Water Heating Application
Jan - Aug 2015

Solar Water Heating Application
Sept - Dec 2015

Climate zone map 

Oregon Dept. of Energy website on Residential Energy Tax Credits for Solar.
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Federal Tax Credits

The Federal Tax Credit is equal to 30% of expenditures, with no maximum credit. Eligible solar energy property includes equipment that uses solar energy to generate electricity, to heat or cool (or provide hot water for use in) a structure, or to provide solar process heat. Hybrid solar lighting systems, which use solar energy to illuminate the inside of a structure using fiber-optic distributed sunlight, are eligible. Passive solar systems and solar pool-heating systems are not eligible.

Visit US Dept. of Energy's website regarding the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit.
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