Oregon: Energy Trust - Solar Water Heating Buy-Down Program
Incentives for solar water heaters (up to $1,500) or pool heaters (up to $1,500).
Learn more about this energy rebate or
find a contractor
who knows about this rebate and will help you get started.
Beginning in the fall of 2003, Energy Trust of Oregon's Solar Water Heating (SWH) Buy-Down Program offers incentives to customers of Pacific Power, PGE, NW Natural Gas and Cascade Natural Gas who install solar water or pool heating systems on their homes, office buildings, community buildings, agricultural, and municipal facilities. Energy Trust is a nonprofit organization created to invest public purpose funding in energy efficiency and renewable energy development in Oregon.
The buy-down incentive is calculated by multiplying the incentive rate by the estimated annual energy savings. The incentive is paid to the solar contractor and deducted from the customer's final cost as follows:
For PGE and Pacific Power residential and commercial customers using electric water heating:
- Residential solar water heating: $0.40 per first-year kilowatt-hour (kWh) savings
- Residential solar pool heating: $3.00 per square foot of collector area
- Residential solar water heating: $8.00 per first-year therm savings
- Residential pool heating: $3.00 per square foot of collector area
- Residential solar domestic water heating: $1,500
- Residential solar pool heating: $1,500
Energy Trust maintains a list of contractors and will provide referrals to contractors from their trade ally network. The contractor will help select a solar water heating system and provide a system quote estimating annual performance, installation date, and the cost after incentive deductions. The contractor will explain maintenance and warranty details and how to apply for tax credits available from the state and federal governments.
Oregon also offers renewable energy personal tax credits.