Energy Trust is pleased to announce the preliminary* budget for 2022 solar incentives. Building off the biggest year ever in terms of applications, installations, capacity, and total incentives paid, the 2022 budget for solar incentives is the largest ever in the history of the program. This will not only continue the momentum of the previous year, but also strongly supports the goals of the Solar Program Vision as we embark on a new year.
*The full budget will be approved at the Energy Trust Board of Director’s December meeting.
Solar Program Budget (Preliminary)
Energy Trust has allocated over $12 million to support solar incentives, spanning offers for residential and business installations; early development and design assistance; and new offers supporting small-scale community solar, community resilience, and distribution-system-connected technologies.
For standard installation incentives, $2.8 million has been allocated for residential and business customers of Portland General Electric. $1.2 million has been allocated for residential and business customers of Pacific Power.
For equity-focused installation incentives, $4.7 million has been allocated to support small-scale community solar projects, Solar Within Reach, and qualifying nonresidential projects in Portland General Electric territory. $2.8 million has been allocated to support small-scale community solar projects, Solar Within Reach, and qualifying nonresidential projects in Pacific Power territory.
For early design and development incentives, $600,000 in Portland General Electric territory and $280,000 in Pacific Power territory has been allocated to support Solar Development Assistance, Community Solar Development Assistance, and Solar Ready.
Note: Allocation totals are subject to change depending on market demand and strategic program priorities.
January 2022 Incentive Offers
Energy Trust seeks to provide continuity and predictability from 2021 incentives to begin 2022 with stable project incentive maximums for all currently available incentives. One notable change is shifting from a capacity-based incentive for standard residential projects to a flat incentive. January incentives rates and caps are listed in the table below.
| Portland General Electric | Pacific Power | |
|---|---|---|
| Solar for Homes | $1,200 | $900 |
| Solar Within Reach | $1.40/W up to $8,400 | $0.70/W up to $4,200 |
| Solar for Businesses | $0.45 - $0.20/W up to $35,000 | $0.20/W up to $20,000 |
| Solar for Affordable Multifamily Properties | $1.50/W up to $120,000 | $1.25/W up to $75,000 |
| Solar for Tribes | $1.50/W up to $120,000 | $1.25/W up to $75,000 |
| Solar for Nonprofits* | $1.50/W up to $120,000 |
Incentive Allocations and Planned Reductions
Energy Trust will continue its long-standing practice of managing incentive rates and allocations through incentive “Steps” and gradual incentive reductions. This strategy has proven to be very effective to manage a limited budget with increasing market demand as the solar industry continues to grow. This growth is a marked success as both incentives and overall project cost has continued to fall over the last decade, allowing Energy Trust and the solar trade ally network to reach more and more customers each year.
The 2022 Solar Incentive Status Report will be posted later in December 2021 with more detail about initial and upcoming incentive allocations. Bookmark and check the Solar Status Report to stay up-to-date on all incentives.
Planned New Offers
As part of Energy Trust’s response to HB 3141 , the Solar Program plans to roll out several new incentive offers over the course of 2022. These will include offers to support low-income customers and other underserved communities, as well as offers supporting community resilience and grid flexibility.
If you have questions about Solar program updates in 2022, please contact the Solar program at solar@energytrust.org.