Oregon Solar Incentives 2026: The Complete Guide for Homeowners
Oregon homeowners going solar in 2026 have access to up to $13,750 in state incentives for a solar and battery system. Those Oregon state incentives now matter more than ever. The federal residential solar tax credit was eliminated effective January 1, 2026, meaning Oregon’s state programs are the primary financial pathway to reducing the upfront cost of purchasing a home solar system. This guide covers every incentive available in 2026, exactly how much you can receive, and how to qualify.
Incentive Program | Who Qualifies | Solar Amount | Battery Amount |
Energy Trust of Oregon (standard) | PGE or Pacific Power customers | $3,500 (PGE) / $2,500 (Pacific Power) | Up to $5,000 (PGE) / $3,000 (Pacific Power) |
Energy Trust — Solar Within Reach | Income-qualified PGE/PP customers | Up to $7,500 (PGE, $1.25/W) / $4,750 (Pacific Power, $0.75/W) | Up to $6,250 (PGE) / $4,500 (Pacific Power) |
Net Energy Metering | All Oregon utility customers | 1:1 bill credit for life of system | N/A |
Federal Tax Credit (ITC) | Third-party ownership / PPAs only | $0 direct (30% via PPA structure) | N/A |
The Biggest Change in 2026: Federal Solar Tax Credit Eliminated
The federal tax credit for residential solar investment was set to be extended at 30% of the value of the solar system through 2032 when the Inflation Reduction Act was passed in 2022. Unfortunately, with the passage of the current administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill, the residential tax credit was eliminated as of January 1st, 2026.
While there is no state of Oregon solar tax credit that functions in the same way, there is still a way that homeowners can benefit from the federal tax credits that remain available for solar and battery investment. By going solar via a Power Purchase Agreement or solar system lease plan, you can still access affordable solar power without the need to collect the tax benefit yourself.
| Year | Residential | Commercial |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 to 2022 | 26% | 26% |
| 2023 to 2025 | 30% | 30% |
| 2026 | 0% | 30% |
How Power Purchase Agreements Work
With a Power Purchase Agreement your solar provider will maintain ownership of the solar system after it is installed and you will simply pay for the power that is produced from the system. This allows the solar company to collect the commercial tax credit that still exists for solar investment and pass that value down to homeowners in the form of cheaper electricity.
In Oregon, Power Northwest is offering Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to homeowners in Portland General Electric territory. By leveraging the solar incentives available to businesses we are able to sell PPAs with a $0.17/kWh rate that never increases for the 25 year term of the agreement. By comparison, the 2026 PGE electricity rate of $0.20/kWh. That means that by signing up for a PPA you can save money on your electricity from day 1 and lock in a rate that will never increase.
If you’d prefer to pay for all your electricity upfront you can save even more with a Prepaid lease. This is available to customers across Oregon, regardless of utility, and works in a similar manner to the PPA, the difference being that system ownership transfers to the homeowner automatically after the 5th year. We collect the federal tax credit and pass that value down to you in the form of a significant discount off the retail price of the system.
While these “Third-party-owned” methods of going solar in Oregon are new here, they’ve become the most popular way to go solar across much of the country as they offer a simplified experience, $0 upfront costs and none of the potential hassles or risk associated with system ownership. So, while there’s no oregon solar tax credit and federal tax credit no longer applies to individual solar purchases, government incentives can still be leveraged to help you save money on your electricity with solar.
Energy Trust of Oregon Solar Incentives for 2026
If you are a PGE or Pacific Power customer, the Energy Trust of Oregon solar incentives can help reduce the cost of your solar and battery system. These incentives can change throughout a given year depending on funding and demand, so it’s best to check for current levels posted on the Energy Trust of Oregon website.
The Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization that provides cash incentives, services and expertise to help homeowners and businesses in Oregon and Southwest Washington lower their energy bills and invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy. They support several solar incentive programs for both homeowners and businesses. Here’s an overview of the incentives for homeowners:
2026 Oregon Solar Incentives Snapshot:
- Energy Trust of Oregon: $3,500 for PGE customers, $2,500 for Pacific Power customers
- Battery Storage Incentives: PGE: $400/kWh up to $5,000. Pacific Power: $240/kWh up to $3,000
- Solar Within Reach: enhanced for income-qualified homes
As of October 2026, the standard Energy Trust of Oregon solar incentive is $3,500 per home in Portland General Electric territory and $2,500 per home in Pacific Power territory, for systems of at least 2 kW. That means that if you purchase a qualified solar system from an Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO) trade ally in 2026, you will receive $3,500 (PGE) or $2,500 (Pacific Power) off the retail price.
The credit is applied for and collected by the contract that sells the system and as a homeowner you receive the benefit as an upfront discount on your purchase price. Qualification for the incentive is dependent on the efficiency of your solar system. Your contractor will be able to assess your eligibility during the sales process.
There is a similar incentive in place for battery storage investment by homeowners. PGE customers get $400/kWh up to $5,000, and Pacific Power customers get $240/kWh up to $3,000, for batteries of at least 3 kWh. That means that if you install a 15 kWh battery and pair it with an ETO-qualified solar system, new or existing, you can collect the full incentive: $5,000 for PGE customers or $3,000 for Pacific Power customers.
Solar Within Reach - Income-Qualified Incentives for Homeowners
Unlike most Oregon solar incentives that are open to anyone, Solar Within Reach is for income-qualified households and provides an increased cash incentive for qualifying homeowners. The income limits depend on your county, how many people live in the home and your gross annual household income. Energy Trust updated them on June 1, 2026, so check the current Solar Within Reach income limits for your county.
These incentives cannot be paired with the standard solar and battery incentives from ETO. Rather they are a higher-value award for those in the qualifying income brackets.
Keep in mind that the incentives are constantly changing based on funding and demand, so it’s best to visit the Solar Within Reach website for current incentive information. or contact us today to speak with an Oregon solar consultant at PowerNW.
If your household is under the income limit for your county, you’d qualify for the below incentives:
| Utility | Incentive | Requirements | Battery Storage Incentive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland General Electric | $1.25/watt | $7,500 maximum incentive per home | $500/kWh, $6,250 maximum per home |
| Pacific Power | $0.75/watt | $4,750 maximum incentive per home | $360/kWh, $4,500 maximum per home |
Again these incentives are constantly changing based on funding and demand, so it’s best to visit the Solar Within Reach website for current incentive information. or contact us today to speak with an Oregon solar consultant at PowerNW.
Climate change disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income Portland residents and this fund focuses on creating and contributing to clean energy projects, green infrastructure projects, clean energy job training programs, and programs that reduce greenhouse gas production and promote economic, social, and environmental benefits.
ODOE Solar and Battery Rebates
The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) offers Oregon solar rebates to all Oregon residents no matter your utility. This program is highly variable and isn’t always available. ODOE reopened the program on June 15, 2026 with about $1.1 million, which was fully reserved. It is not taking new reservations. Here is how the rebate works when it is funded.
ODOE incentives are broken down into two categories and then two sub categories. The first two categories are solar and storage. Homeowners can receive up to $5,000 for solar projects (depending on the size) and $2,500 for storage projects for a total of $7,500 in incentives!
The two sub categories are non income restricted and low to moderate income (LMI). Both categories have a max of $5,000 for the solar incentive and $2,500, however, LMI customers can earn the solar incentives at a much faster rate.
Let’s explain. The standard, non income restricted incentive, is based on the size of the system at an incentive rate of $0.20/W DC. If you have a 10,000 watt system or 10 kW system, that’d be $2,000 in incentives ($0.20 times 10,000 watts = $2,000). To receive the full $5,000 incentive, you’d need to have a system size of 25 kW DC.
Now, the LMI incentives are also based on the system size, but at a rate of $1.80/W DC. As you can see, with the LMI incentive you can reach the max amount much faster, at a system size of 2.8 kW DC. Anything above that and you’d receive the full incentive amount of $5,000.
There is one additional group that qualify for increased ODOE incentives, which are homeowners who do not qualify for any electric utility incentives such as those provided by PGE or Pacific Power through the Energy Trust of Oregon. For those customers, the incentive rate is $0.50/W DC.
Details on the ODOE incentives can be found at Oregon.gov.
Rebate Amounts
| Customer Type | Rebate Calculation |
|---|---|
| Low- or moderate-income homeowners | $1.80 per watt (DC) of installed capacity, up to 60% of the net cost* or $5,000, whichever is less. |
| Homeowners not considered low- or moderate-income who are also eligible for an electric utility incentive | $0.20 per watt (DC) of installed capacity, up to 40% of the net cost or $5,000, whichever is less. |
| Homeowners not considered low- or moderate-income who are not eligible for an electric utility incentive | $0.50 per watt (DC) of installed capacity, up to 40% of the net cost or $5,000, whichever is less. |
*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.
How to qualify Low- or Moderate-Income (LMI) incentives
To qualify as a household with low- or moderate-income, the sum of all incomes in the household must be at or under the amounts listed below. All income earners residing at the place of residence, including all family members and roommates who are not related and not part of a separate lease agreement, must also be included in this metric.
| Household Unit Size | Annual Gross Income* | Monthly Gross Income* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $52,110.00 | $4,342.50 |
| 2 | $68,143.33 | $5,678.62 |
| 3 | $84,176.67 | $7,014.72 |
| 4 | $100,210.00 | $8,350.83 |
| 5 | $116,245.00 | $9,687.08 |
| 6 | $132,278.33 | $11,023.20 |
| 7 | $135,285.00 | $11,273.75 |
| 8 | $138,290.00 | $11,524.17 |
| 9 | $141,296.67 | $11,774.72 |
| 10 | $144,303.33 | $12,025.28 |
| 11 | $147,310.00 | $12,275.83 |
| 12 | $150,315.00 | $12,526.25 |
| Each Additional Member | $3005.00 | $250.42 |
*Gross Income means all household income before any deductions
Net Metering in Oregon
While we’ve lost one of the most valuable home solar incentives we had in the residential federal tax credit, the most important of them all is still here!
Net Energy Metering (NEM) is the crux of what makes going solar in Oregon an effective way of saving money on electricity. This policy allows homeowners to bank credits for excess solar production that is generated on their system at any given time. With the seasonal shifts we see in the Pacific Northwest, this is crucial as it allows homeowners to essentially produce all the electricity they need for the full year during the long sunny days of summer.
For most homeowners in Oregon, their system will over-produce throughout the summer months and they’ll accrue enough credits that they can draw on those throughout the fall and winter when their usage out-paces the production that is generated from their system.
The existing Oregon Net Energy Metering policy allows for a 1:1 credit for this excess solar production meaning everything you produce is credited at your standard retail utility rate. While there’s been some talk of reducing this credit at some point in the future, NEM is unchanged entering 2026. If there’s one incentive that it’s worth going solar for today, this is it!
When you sign your Oregon Net Energy Metering contract with your utility you’ll be locked into your NEM credit value for the lifetime of your system which means you receive maximum value from your solar production.
Navigating 2026 Oregon Solar Incentives When Shopping for Solar
That’s a ton of information! You may be asking yourself how to best take advantage of the Oregon solar incentives that are available. The best thing to do will be to reach out to us and talk with one of our expert solar consultants. They’ll be able to figure out exactly which solar plan is right for you and which incentives you qualify for. If you aren’t quite ready to do that, no problem. Here’s what the basics of what you can expect when shopping for solar in Oregon in 2026.
- You’ll benefit from 1:1 Net Energy Metering (no matter how you finance your system)
- If you are looking for monthly savings you can lock in a low monthly payment with a PowerPurchase Agreement for $0 down
- If you want to own your system you can receive an upfront discount off the retail price via Energy Trust of Oregon incentives
Frequently Asked Questions About Oregon Solar Incentives
What solar incentives can Oregon homeowners get in 2026?
The main one is the Energy Trust of Oregon cash incentive for Portland General Electric and Pacific Power customers, with larger amounts for income-qualified homes through Solar Within Reach. Energy Trust also pays an incentive for home batteries. The Oregon Department of Energy rebate is fully reserved for now, and the federal tax credit for homeowners who buy a system ended after 2025.
How much is the Energy Trust of Oregon solar incentive?
As of October 2026, Energy Trust pays $3,500 per home for PGE customers and $2,500 per home for Pacific Power customers, for systems of at least 2 kW installed by an Energy Trust trade ally. Your installer applies for it and takes it off your price upfront. Amounts depend on funding and can change.
Is there an incentive for adding a home battery?
Yes. PGE customers can get $400 per kWh up to $5,000, and Pacific Power customers $240 per kWh up to $3,000. The battery must be at least 3 kWh and connected to a solar system that meets Energy Trust's standards, new or existing.
What is Solar Within Reach?
It is Energy Trust's higher incentive for income-qualified households that live in the home. PGE customers can get $1.25 per watt up to $7,500 for solar and $500 per kWh up to $6,250 for a battery. Pacific Power customers can get $0.75 per watt up to $4,750 and $360 per kWh up to $4,500. Income limits depend on your county and household size.
Is the Oregon Department of Energy solar rebate available?
Not right now. ODOE reopened its Solar + Storage Rebate Program on June 15, 2026 with about $1.1 million, and that money was fully reserved. When funded, homeowners can get up to $5,000 for solar and $2,500 for storage through an ODOE-approved contractor.
Can I still get the federal solar tax credit in 2026?
Not if you buy the system. The 30% federal credit for homeowners ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. With a Power Purchase Agreement or lease, the company that owns the system can still claim a commercial credit and pass the savings on to you. Under current law that credit is also ending, generally for systems placed in service after 2027.
