Most of the energy tax credit programs overseen by the Oregon Department of Energy are scheduled to sunset at the end of the 2017 tax year. Oregon Department of Energy staff are ready to help Oregonians plan ahead to see if their energy projects will qualify for an incentive as current programs wind down.

Programs scheduled to sunset include:

• Residential Energy Tax Credits (RETC)—eligible RETC devices purchased by December 31, 2017 and operational by April 1, 2018 can receive a RETC as long as the final application is received by the Oregon Department of Energy by June 1, 2018. For solar photovoltaic projects, applications must be entered into PowerClerk by a tax credit certified technician on or before December 31, 2017.
• Conservation and Transportation Tax Credits—Oregonians who have already applied for tax credits through the Energy Incentives Program’s previous open opportunity announcements will need to have completed operational projects by the end of the applicant’s 2017 tax year. Applicants who wish to sell earned tax credits must also complete that transaction before the end of the applicant’s 2017 tax year.
• Biomass Producer and Collector Tax Credit—the tax credit program for all feedstocks will sunset at the end of the applicant’s 2017 tax year, and the Oregon Department of Energy must receive applications within 60 days of the end of that tax year. The Oregon Department of Agriculture will administer a new program focused on dairies that collect manure for biofuel; the program will begin with the 2018 tax year.

The State Home Oil Weatherization Program, which offers cash incentives for certain energy efficient projects in Oregon homes, will be transferred to Oregon Housing and Community Services on January 1, 2018. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is developing a new program to offer rebates on purchases or leases of electric vehicles that operate with zero emissions.

For more information about Oregon Department of Energy’s program sunsets, view their website.

As incentive programs wind down, the Oregon Department of Energy will continue to offer programs that help ensure Oregon’s clean and sustainable energy future—like grants that fund renewable energy projects, energy facility siting and oversight, and nuclear safety and emergency preparedness.

Visit the Oregon Department of Energy website to learn more about other programs.