Oregon Solar News

Home WRAP Restores Support for Solar & Energy Efficiency

Thursday, November 30, 2017 Topics Policy

The energy efficiency + solar "Home WRAP" concept bill was submitted by Representative Pam Marsh from Ashland. This bill restores support for residential efficiency and solar, particularly in rural Oregon, that was taken away with the loss of the RETC.

In particular the WRAP bill provides a production based incentive on a $/kWh rate for solar projects. It's paid out in one lump sum after the installation is completed. It is not a tax credit. The incentive amount is paid directly to contractors and must be reflected in the customer bid and then taken off of the customers paid system price. The first year incentive max amount is $4,500/system.

Over the coming months OSEIA will follow the bill closely and work with a coalition of stakeholders to support the bill during the 2018 legislative session. It is a short session and Oregon has a budget crisis so passing this bill will not be easy - we will let you know how to support the effort in January.

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OSEIA's Policy Effort Overview

Friday, November 17, 2017 Topics Policy

OSEIA is currently working on a RETC replacement bill with a coalition of other efficiency advocates:

OSEIA has hired a lobbyist and will work with other advocates to restore support for solar in Oregon.
The new bill will be submitted on Nov 21st for the 2018 session.
When the new bill is ready we'll send it out to members.
We will need a tremendous amount of support from you, our members!

We're actively working on the Community Solar PUC process:

OSEIA is chairing the project details subgroup tasked with providing recommendations of how projects make it through the community solar process, from application to pre-certification to final certification.

We're working with Utility Scale Developers on how we can improve land use and zoning issues to promote responsible solar development in OR.

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OSEIA's Efforts on Solar Plus Grant

Friday, November 17, 2017 Topics

OSEIA is working as a member of a Department of Energy Sunshot grant called Solar Plus. This grant is an initiative to convene solar stakeholders across Oregon and Washington to create strategies for increased solar deployment. We are specifically working with stakeholders to help facilitate the development of state level goals, advising on the process of developing a statewide solar plan for Washington, compiling data to inform goals and metrics, participating in technical working groups on valuation of grid assets and more.

Solar Plus envisions a future where the benefits of solar energy are equitably expanded to all including renters, households with low incomes, communities of color, and all ratepayers. Led by a broad coalition of stakeholders we are working towards tripling the amount of solar energy installed in Washington and Oregon by 2019. Find out more about this effort at: solarplusnw.org

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Oregon Solar Review - November 2017

Thursday, November 30, 2017 Topics Newsletter

Click here to read November 2017 Oregon Solar Review

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The Art of Maintaining Control in a Market Full of Uncertainty: Reducing Stress through Open Dialogue

Thursday, November 30, 2017 Topics

By Tamara Staton, Thriving Solar -- As we continue to ride the tumultuous solar coaster, many industry professionals naturally wonder what lurks around the corner in this ever-changing solar market. While we can't predict the future, there are things that we can do as business owners, executives, and managers to maintain control under circumstances that are mostly out of our control.

There is clearly great uncertainty with the sunset of the Residential Energy Tax Credit (RETC) in Oregon on December 31, 2017, not to mention the recent (and controversial) trade case - it's hard to know exactly how things will look in this market in just a few months....