Oregon – Solar Hot Water
Maas Residence - 2 collector Solar Domestic Hot Water System
For immediate sales assistance, contact Lindsey Hardy at (541) 322-1910 or email Lindsey here.
Solar Hot Water
The cash incentives available to you for the purchase & installation of a residential solar hot water system depend on your utility provider, whether that is a gas or electric utility.
Pacific Power or Portland General Electric (c/oEnergy Trust of Oregon) Cash Incentive
Energy Trust of Oregon offers $0.40 per annual kWh saved, up to a maximum $1,500 per home for Pacific Power or Portland General Electric customers with an electric hot water heater. This amount is passed on to the installer (Sunlight Solar) and taken off your out-of-pocket cost. We at Sunlight Solar are responsible for conforming to the Energy Trust’s standards for system installation. To uphold their standards, an Energy Trust representative will inspect & evaluate your system following installation.
Cascade Natural or NW Natural Gas (c/o Energy Trust of Oregon) Cash Incentive
Energy Trust of Oregon offers $0.30 per annual kWh saved, up to a maximum $1,500 per home for Cascade Natural or NW Natural Gas customers with a gas hot water heater. This amount is passed on the installer (Sunlight Solar) and taken off your out-of-pocket cost. We at Sunlight Solar are responsible for conforming to the Energy Trust’s standards for system installation. To uphold their standards, an Energy Trust representative will inspect & evaluate your system following installation.
Central Electric Co-op/The Bright Way Cash Incentive
Central Electric Co-op offers a $500 maximum cash discount for an approved installation with a collector area greater than 31 square feet. If your solar hot water collector is oriented between 0-40 degrees East or West of True South, at a 14- to 50-degree tilt, you qualify for a $500 cash discount. If your solar hot water collector is oriented between 41-90 degrees East or West of True South, at a 14- to 30-degree tilt, you qualify for a $375 cash discount. Central Electric Co-op issues this amount to the participating contractor (Sunlight Solar) once CEC has approved the installation so Sunlight Solar takes the incentive off your out-of-pocket cost.
Mid-State Electric Co-op Cash Incentive
Mid-State Electric Co-op does not offer any cash incentives for solar hot water systems at this time.
State Tax Credit (Residential Energy Tax Credit)
The state tax credit for residential solar hot water systems installed in Oregon is called the Residential Energy Tax Credit, or RETC. The RETC reduces the amount of state tax you owe dollar-for-dollar. Your RETC application must be verified and signed by an Oregon Department of Energy approved Tax Credit Certified Technician. Sunlight Solar has (3) Tax Credit Certified Technicians on staff to verify your system and sign your RETC application.
With the purchase and installation of a solar hot water system, you may be eligible for $0.60 per annual kWh saved, up to $1,500 maximum per system per home. The credit is limited to 50% of the total system cost. Equipment must be new and either OG-300 certified or listed as a “Research and Development” system by the Oregon Department of Energy.
This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. For more details, contact the Oregon Department of Energy at (503) 378-4040 or the Oregon Department of Revenue at (503) 378-4988.
Federal Tax Credit
As of January 1, 2009, all solar electric and solar thermal installations are eligible for a 30% federal tax credit on the net cost of your system (Net cost = Total cost – Utility Incentive). The federal tax credit reduces the amount of federal tax you owe dollar-for-dollar. You may claim the full federal tax credit amount in one year so long as it doesn’t decrease your federal tax liability in that you qualify for the Alternative Minimum Tax, or AMT. Otherwise, it can be carried forward up to 20 years.
Please note: this is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. Consult a licensed tax preparer for more information and details.
Towns we serve:
Below is a list of towns we serve in Oregon, although it is not comprehensive. If you live in a town that isn’t listed below, please feel free to call our Bend or Portland offices to determine if we will install a solar electric or solar hot water array in your area.
| Albany, OR | Glendale, OR | Pendleton, OR |
| Alfalfa, OR | Gold Beach, OR | Philomath, OR |
| Aloha, OR | Government Camp, OR | Phoenix, OR |
| Alsea, OR | Grand Ronde, OR | Pleasant Hill, OR |
| Amity, OR | Grants Pass, OR | Portland, OR |
| Antelope, OR | Grass Valley, OR | Port Orford, OR |
| Ashland, OR | Gresham, OR | Post, OR |
| Astoria, OR | Haines, OR | Powell Butte, OR |
| Aurora, OR | Halsey, OR | Powers, OR |
| Baker City, OR | Harrisburg, OR | Prineville, OR |
| Bandon, OR | Hebo, OR | Redmond, OR |
| Bandon, OR | Heppner, OR | Reedsport, OR |
| Barlow, OR | Hermiston, OR | Rickreall, OR |
| Beaverton, OR | Hillsboro, OR | Riddle, OR |
| Bend, OR | Hood River, OR | Rockaway Beach, OR |
| Biggs Junction, OR | Hubbard, OR | Rogue River, OR |
| Boardman, OR | Idanha, OR | Roseburg, OR |
| Boring, OR | Independence, OR | Salem, OR |
| Brookings, OR | Jacksonville, OR | Sandy, OR |
| Brothers, OR | John Day, OR | Scappoose, OR |
| Burns, OR | Joseph, OR | Scio, OR |
| Camp Sherman, OR | Junction City, OR | Scotts Mills, OR |
| Canby, OR | Keizer, OR | Seaside, OR |
| Cannon Beach, OR | Klamath City, OR | Selma, OR |
| Carlton, OR | La Pine, OR | Seneca, OR |
| Central Point, OR | Lincoln City, OR | Shady Cove, OR |
| Chemult, OR | La Grande, OR | Shaniko, OR |
| Chiloquin, OR | Lake Oswego, OR | Sheridan, OR |
| Christmas Valley, OR | Lakeside , OR | Sherwood, OR |
| Clackamas, OR | Lakeview, OR | Siletz, OR |
| Clatskanie, OR | Lebanon, OR | Silver Lake, OR |
| Cloverdale, OR | Lorane, OR | Silverton, OR |
| Condon, OR | Lowell, OR | Sisters, OR |
| Coos Bay, OR | Lyons, OR | Spray, OR |
| Coquille, OR | Madras, OR | Springfield, OR |
| Corvallis, OR | Manzanita, OR | Stayton, OR |
| Cottage Grove, OR | Marylhurst, OR | St Helens, OR |
| Crater Lake, OR | Maupin, OR | Sublimity, OR |
| Crescent, OR | McMinnville, OR | Summer Lake, OR |
| Crescent Lake, OR | Medford, OR | Sunriver, OR |
| Creswell, OR | Milwaukie, OR | Sweet Home, OR |
| Culver, OR | Mill City, OR | Swisshome, OR |
| Dallas, OR | Milton Freewater, OR | Talent, OR |
| Dayton, OR | Mitchell, OR | Tangent, OR |
| Dayville, OR | Molalla, OR | Terrebonne, OR |
| Depoe Bay, OR | Monmouth, OR | The Dalles, OR |
| Detroit, OR | Monroe, OR | Thurston, OR |
| Dexter, OR | Monument, OR | Tigard, OR |
| Diamond, OR | Moro, OR | Tillamook, OR |
| Donald, OR | Mosier, OR | Toledo, OR |
| Drain, OR | Mount Angel, OR | Troutdale, OR |
| Dufur, OR | Mount Hood, OR | Tualatin, OR |
| Dundee, OR | Myrtle Creek, OR | Turner, OR |
| Durkee, OR | Myrtle Point, OR | Umatilla, OR |
| Eagle Point, OR | Nehalem, OR | Umpqua, OR |
| Elgin, OR | Neskowin, OR | Vale, OR |
| Elmira, OR | Netarts, OR | Veneta, OR |
| Enterprise, OR | Newberg, OR | Vida, OR |
| Estacada, OR | Newport, OR | Waldport, OR |
| Eugene, OR | North Bend, OR | Wallowa, OR |
| Florence, OR | Noti, OR | Warm Springs, OR |
| Fossil, OR | Nyssa, OR | Warren, OR |
| Forest Grove, OR | Oakland, OR | Warrenton, OR |
| Fort Klamath, OR | Oakridge, OR | Wasco, OR |
| Fort Rock, OR | Odell, OR | Welches, OR |
| Garibaldi, OR | Ontario, OR | West Linn, OR |
| Gaston, OR | Oregon City, OR | Willamina, OR |
| Gates, OR | Otis, OR | Wilsonville, OR |
| Gearhart, OR | Otter Rock, OR | Woodburn, OR |
| Gervais, OR | Pacific City, OR | Yachats, OR |
| Gilchristv, OR | Paisly, OR | Yamhill, OR |
| Gladstone, OR | Paulina, OR |
