Oregon solar incentives depend on the name at the top of your electric bill. If it is Portland General Electric (PGE) or Pacific Power, a nonprofit called Energy Trust of Oregon takes $2,500 to $3,500 off your installer’s invoice, and your utility gives full credit for extra power your panels make. With any other utility, you get only what that utility offers. The state rebate is closed, and there is no tax credit.
Recently changed: Energy Trust raised the PGE solar incentive from $2,500 to $3,500 on August 4, 2026. Since October 1, 2026, the Pacific Power battery incentive is $240 per kWh up to $3,000, down from $288 per kWh up to $3,600. The state Solar + Storage Rebate reopened on June 15, 2026, filled up, and is closed again.
What does Oregon pay toward home solar in 2026, and who pays it?
Six things matter. Five are only for PGE and Pacific Power customers.
| Incentive | What you get | How it reaches you | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Trust solar incentive | $3,500 per home (PGE) or $2,500 (Pacific Power) | Off your invoice, through your contractor | Open. Depends on funding. |
| Energy Trust battery incentive | $400 per kWh up to $5,000 (PGE), or $240 per kWh up to $3,000 (Pacific Power) | Off your invoice, through your contractor | Open. Depends on funding. |
| Solar Within Reach | $1.25 per watt up to $7,500 (PGE), or $0.75 per watt up to $4,750 (Pacific Power) | Same route, after an income check | Open. Income limit applies. |
| Net metering credits | One kWh of credit for each extra kWh (PGE and Pacific Power) | On your electric bill | In force. No end date. |
| Utility battery programs | $1.70 per kWh of battery power used (PGE), or a payment at enrollment plus bill credits (Pacific Power) | A bill credit (PGE) or a payment (Pacific Power) | Open. The PGE pilot ends December 31, 2026. |
| Property tax exemption | The value your solar system adds is not taxed, with any utility | Ask your county assessor what, if anything, to file | In force for tax years up to the one that starts July 1, 2029. |
The federal tax credit is not available for systems switched on after December 31, 2025. Oregon has no state solar tax credit: its residential energy tax credit was last awarded for tax years that began before 2018. The state rebate is closed.
Which Oregon utility sends your electric bill?
Open yours. Each panel shows only the money and the bill credit rules for that utility.
Portland General ElectricMost of the Portland area, Salem and the northern Willamette Valley.Typical system after the Energy Trust incentive: $21,850
What you can get with Portland General Electric
- Energy Trust solar incentive$3,500
A flat amount per home for a system of 2 kW or more. It is paid to your contractor, who must be an Energy Trust trade ally (an installer Energy Trust has approved), and comes off your invoice. On a typical 9.32 kW system priced at $25,350, that leaves $21,850.
- Energy Trust battery incentive$400 per kWh
Up to $5,000 per home. Example: a battery that holds 10 kWh gets $4,000. It must be connected to solar.
- Lower income: Solar Within Reach$1.25 per watt
Up to $7,500, in place of the flat amount, if your income is under the limit.
- Smart Battery pilot$1.70 per kWh
A bill credit for power PGE takes from your battery in hours of high demand, 10 to 15 times a year. The pilot ends on December 31, 2026.
Your bill credits
PGE uses net metering: it credits you for solar power you send to the grid. Each extra kWh becomes one kWh of credit at the full price you pay. Credits roll over, so summer power can cover winter use. Credits unused after your March bill go to PGE’s low-income assistance program. You are not paid for them.
Watch out: A system that makes more than your home uses in a year earns nothing for the surplus.
Also for you: property tax and when the money will not reach you.
Pacific PowerParts of Portland, plus cities such as Medford, Bend and Corvallis.Typical system after the Energy Trust incentive: $22,850
What you can get with Pacific Power
- Energy Trust solar incentive$2,500
A flat amount per home for a system of 2 kW or more. It is paid to your contractor, who must be an Energy Trust trade ally (an installer Energy Trust has approved), and comes off your invoice. On a typical 9.32 kW system priced at $25,350, that leaves $22,850.
- Energy Trust battery incentive$240 per kWh
Up to $3,000 per home since October 1, 2026. Example: a battery that holds 10 kWh gets $2,400. It must be connected to solar.
- Lower income: Solar Within Reach$0.75 per watt
Up to $4,750, in place of the flat amount, if your income is under the limit.
- Wattsmart Battery programAsk Pacific Power
A one-time payment when you enroll a new battery and let Pacific Power manage it, then monthly bill credits. Ask Pacific Power for the current amounts and the length of the commitment in writing.
Your bill credits
Pacific Power uses net metering: it credits you for solar power you send to the grid. Each extra kWh becomes one kWh of credit at the full price you pay. Credits roll over month to month. Credits unused after your March bill go to Pacific Power’s low-income assistance program. You are not paid for them.
Watch out: Energy Trust changes its amounts in steps through the year. Ask your contractor which step applies to you.
Also for you: property tax and when the money will not reach you.
Eugene Water & Electric BoardEugene. A city-owned utility, known as EWEB.Up to $2,500, while the 2026 budget lasts
What you can get with Eugene Water & Electric Board
- EWEB solar incentive$0.40 per watt
Counted on AC output, the power your inverter (the box that turns solar power into home power) can put out. The most is $2,500, which 6.25 kW of AC output reaches. You need two bids and EWEB’s approval before the install.
- Energy Trust incentiveNone
Only for PGE and Pacific Power customers.
Your bill credits
EWEB counts month by month. Solar power you use in the same month lowers your bill at the normal price. Power beyond that month’s use earns 3.99 cents per kWh, a rate in force since February 2026. Example: 100 extra kWh earn $3.99. The dollar credit carries to your next bill. EWEB’s board reviews the rate every year.
Watch out: The 2026 incentive budget is $125,000, first come, first served. EWEB said 81% of it was taken as of September 11, 2026.
Also for you: property tax and when the money will not reach you.
Co-op, PUD, city utility or Idaho PowerElectric co-ops, people’s utility districts (PUDs), city utilities, and Idaho Power in eastern Oregon.No Energy Trust money. Many offer no rebate.
What you can get with Co-op, PUD, city utility or Idaho Power
- Energy Trust incentiveNone
Only for PGE and Pacific Power customers.
- Salem Electric or Umatilla Electric Cooperative$300 per kW
Up to $1,500 at either one, with approval before the install. Salem Electric pays while funds last.
- Central Lincoln PUD$500 per kW
Up to $2,000 for solar you own, first come, first served.
Your bill credits
State law (ORS 757.300) makes these utilities offer net metering, a credit for solar power you send to the grid. Each sets its own terms, and the credit is often far below the price you pay for power. Central Electric Cooperative credits power beyond your monthly use at 4.68 cents per kWh. Idaho Power credits its Oregon homes 2.9019 cents per kWh from October to May.
Watch out: Do not size your system with a PGE or Pacific Power example. Your credit for extra power can be far lower.
Also for you: property tax and when the money will not reach you.
Why Energy Trust money only comes through a trade ally
Energy Trust of Oregon is a nonprofit that runs incentive programs for PGE and Pacific Power customers. It does not send you a check. It pays a trade ally, a solar contractor it has approved, and that contractor takes the amount off your invoice.
A bid from a contractor outside the network has no Energy Trust money in it, however good the price looks.
Watch out: Energy Trust says its offers can change at any time. The PGE amount changed on August 4, 2026. Ask your contractor to write the incentive amount into the contract.
Get quotes for your Oregon utility
Your ZIP code starts a quote request with installers that serve your area. Ask each one to name your utility and the Energy Trust amount in writing.
- Your utility sets the amountPGE, Pacific Power and EWEB customers each get a different offer.
- No cost, no pressureComparing quotes is free, and you never have to sign.
- Matched installers onlyYour details go to the installers you are matched with.
How do PGE and Pacific Power credit your extra solar power?
Both use net metering: the utility credits you for solar power you send to the grid. Oregon’s rules for these two utilities give full credit. One extra kWh from your panels cancels one kWh you take from the grid later. The rules come from ORS 757.300 and cover home systems of 25 kW or less.
Example: 100 extra kWh in July cover 100 kWh of your use in December.
The catch is the yearly reset. The credit year ends with the March bill. Credits you still have then go to the utility’s low-income assistance program, and state rules do not let you take payment for them. A system larger than your yearly use gives power away each March.
Watch out: Some sales pitches say PGE pays only a few cents for solar power. That is not the rule for a net-metered home there. Lower credits apply at EWEB, co-ops, PUDs and Idaho Power.
What can a home battery earn with PGE or Pacific Power?
Two things, and you can get both: money toward buying the battery, and a reward for letting your utility use it. For buying it, Energy Trust pays $400 per kWh up to $5,000 for PGE customers, and $240 per kWh up to $3,000 for Pacific Power customers. The battery must hold at least 3 kWh and be connected to solar.
PGE: the Smart Battery pilot
You let PGE charge or draw on your battery during Peak Time Events, a few hours when demand on the grid is high. PGE does this 10 to 15 times a year. You earn a bill credit of $1.70 per kWh that PGE takes. PGE’s own example: a 13.5 kWh battery that shares 80% earns up to $18.36 per event.
Watch out: PGE’s rate sheet ends this pilot on December 31, 2026 and caps how many batteries can join. Ask PGE if it is still taking batteries, and what follows in 2027.
Pacific Power: the Wattsmart Battery program
You let Pacific Power manage a new battery. In return you get a one-time payment when you enroll, then monthly bill credits based on the size of your system.
Watch out: Pacific Power sets the amounts and the length of the commitment, and can change them. Ask Pacific Power for both in writing before you sign, and ask what you repay if you leave early.
Source: Energy Trust of Oregon, Utility Reward Programs for Smart Batteries
Does Oregon tax a home solar system?
No, not as property. Under ORS 307.175, a solar system that is net-metered, or built mainly to cover power used on site, is exempt from property tax. Ask your county assessor to confirm the exemption for your home and whether you need to file anything.
There is nothing to claim on sales tax, because Oregon has no general sales tax. There is no state income tax credit for solar either. The Oregon Department of Revenue says its residential energy tax credit was last awarded for tax years that began before 2018, and its 2025 list of credits has no solar credit. Oregon’s energy tax credits ended in 2017.
Watch out: The exemption has an end date in the law. It may not be allowed for property tax years that begin after July 1, 2029. That covers systems already installed too.
Solar Within Reach, Portland Solar Access and community solar
- Solar Within Reach: Energy Trust’s larger incentive for PGE and Pacific Power customers under an income limit. For a household of four, the limit is $192,450 in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties and $125,400 in Coos County. PGE customers get $1.25 per watt up to $7,500, and $500 per kWh up to $6,250 for a battery. Pacific Power customers get $0.75 per watt up to $4,750, and $360 per kWh up to $4,500 for a battery. Example: a 5 kW system is 5,000 watts, so it gets $6,250 with PGE or $3,750 with Pacific Power.
- Portland Solar Access Program: solar at no cost for homeowners inside Portland city limits with an income at or below 80% of area median income (the middle income in your area). For a household of four that is $102,650. Funding covers about 1,000 households, and the program runs through 2029.
- Oregon Community Solar Program: for renters and homes with no usable roof. You subscribe to a share of a solar project and get a credit on your PGE, Pacific Power or Idaho Power bill, minus a fee.
Watch out: Oregon Solar for All is not open. The federal government moved to cancel its funding on August 7, 2025, and the Oregon Department of Energy says any offer of free solar funded by the state is false.
When Oregon’s solar money will not reach you
- Your utility is not PGE or Pacific Power. Energy Trust incentives stop at those two.
- Your contractor is not an Energy Trust trade ally. The incentive is paid to the trade ally and nobody else.
- Your quote counts the state rebate. The Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate (up to $5,000 for solar and $2,500 for a battery) is not taking applications. The $1.1 million released on June 15, 2026 is fully reserved.
- Your system is bigger than your yearly use. With PGE and Pacific Power, credits left after the March bill are given away. With EWEB, extra power earns only 3.99 cents per kWh.
- Your quote still counts the federal tax credit. It is not available for systems switched on after December 31, 2025.
From first bid to first bill credit: the Oregon steps
- Read the name on your electric bill. PGE and Pacific Power lead to Energy Trust. Any other name leads to that utility.You.
- Get two or more bids from Energy Trust trade allies. If your income may qualify, ask for trade allies that offer Solar Within Reach.You. Energy Trust can connect you with trade allies.
- Your contractor files before the install. That means the incentive application, and the request to your utility for interconnection (permission to connect to the grid) and a net metering agreement.Your contractor. You sign the forms.
- Check the invoice. The Energy Trust amount should appear as a deduction.You.
- After switch-on: enroll a battery and call the assessor. You join a battery program once the battery runs. Your county assessor can confirm the solar value is left off.You, with your installer.
Compare Oregon quotes that show the incentive as a line
Enter your ZIP code to request quotes from installers in your area. Ask each one if it is an Energy Trust trade ally and which incentive amount its price uses.
The form asks about your home first, then your contact details. EcoGen or its installer partners may contact you.
- Free to requestAsking for quotes costs nothing. You decide if you go ahead.
- Home questions firstYour name, email and phone come last.
- Check it against this pageUse the amounts for your utility to test each quote.
More Oregon solar guides
Oregon solar incentive questions
Does Oregon Have a Solar Tax Credit?
No. Oregon’s energy tax credits ended in 2017, and the Oregon Department of Revenue’s 2025 list of income tax credits has no solar credit. The federal credit is not available for systems switched on after December 31, 2025.
Is the Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Still Available?
No. The Oregon Department of Energy reopened it on June 15, 2026 with $1.1 million, and that money was fully reserved. It is not taking applications, and no reopening date is posted.
Does Oregon Have Net Metering?
Yes. PGE and Pacific Power give one kWh of credit for each extra kWh, for home systems of 25 kW or less. Credits left after the March bill go to a low-income program, not to you. Other utilities set their own, usually lower, credits.
Do Solar Panels Raise Property Taxes in Oregon?
No. Under ORS 307.175, the value a home solar system adds is exempt from property tax. The law allows this for tax years up to the one that begins July 1, 2029.
Do EWEB or Co-op Customers Get Energy Trust Solar Incentives?
No. They are only for PGE and Pacific Power customers. EWEB has its own incentive of $0.40 per watt of AC output up to $2,500, while its yearly budget lasts.
Sources (22)
- Energy Trust of Oregon, Solar for Your Home: energytrust.org
- Energy Trust of Oregon, Solar Within Reach: energytrust.org
- Energy Trust of Oregon, 2026 Incentive Status Report: insider.energytrust.org
- Energy Trust of Oregon, Utility Reward Programs for Smart Batteries: energytrust.org
- Energy Trust of Oregon, Portland Solar Access Program: energytrust.org
- Oregon Administrative Rules, chapter 860, division 39, net metering: sos.state.or.us
- Oregon Revised Statutes, chapter 307, including ORS 307.175: oregonlegislature.gov
- Oregon Department of Revenue, Sales Tax in Oregon: oregon.gov
- Oregon Department of Revenue, 2025 Publication OR-17, Individual Income Tax Guide: oregon.gov
- Oregon Department of Energy, Incentives and incentive history: oregon.gov
- Oregon Department of Energy, Solar + Storage Rebate Program: oregon.gov
- Oregon Department of Energy, Solar for All: oregon.gov
- Portland General Electric, Schedule 14, battery pilot: portlandgeneral.com
- Eugene Water & Electric Board, Residential Solar Electric: eweb.org
- Eugene Water & Electric Board, Solar Generation Rates: eweb.org
- Salem Electric, Solar Information: salemelectric.com
- Umatilla Electric Cooperative, Rooftop Solar Program: umatillaelectric.com
- Central Lincoln PUD, Renewable Energy and Storage Rebates: clpud.org
- Central Electric Cooperative, Net Metering: cec.coop
- Idaho Power, Customer Generation FAQ: idahopower.com
- Oregon Community Solar Program, Get Started: oregoncsp.org
- IRS, Residential Clean Energy Credit: irs.gov
