In response to trade ally feedback and unprecedented application volume, Energy Trust’s Solar program is implementing changes to simplify its incentive application review and system verification processes. These changes are intended to speed up the process for trade allies, while reducing the cost to deliver the Solar program. The changes are described below and include expediting residential application review, simplifying the design revision process, and rolling out a streamlined remote verification process.

Why did Energy Trust make these changes?
Energy Trust’s solar program received over 1,500 solar applications in the first half of 2021—close to 50% year-over-year growth. This high demand demonstrates the strength of the solar industry coming out of a challenging year, but it has strained our existing design review and verification processes.

We’ve also heard feedback from trade allies that our solar incentive application and verification process could be simplified, especially as we continue to reduce incentives to manage our budget. These process changes reflect our confidence that the solar industry will continue to prioritize high quality solar installations even with less oversight from Energy Trust.

These changes also reflect a continued shift in focus for the Solar program. Based on direction from the legislature and stakeholders, we expect to invest more in equity-focused incentive offerings and technologies, like battery storage, that support resilience and grid flexibility. This means spending less time and funding on standard residential and commercial solar projects. Trade allies will hear more about this shift in coming months.

What’s not changing?
Energy Trust continues its commitment to installation quality and industry professionalism. We expect trade allies to provide customers with safe, high-performing, and long-lasting solar systems that meet program requirements. By focusing less time on reviewing every system, we can spend more time supporting new installers and addressing trade allies with work quality concerns.

Energy Trust continues its commitment to installation quality and industry professionalism. We expect trade allies to provide customers with safe, high-performing, and long-lasting solar systems that meet program requirements. By focusing less time on reviewing every system, we can spend more time supporting new installers and addressing trade allies with work quality concerns.

The changes below will be implemented for trade allies in good standing that have successfully completed at least ten projects with the program. Newly enrolled trade allies in probationary status will continue with the current process. Trade allies in a disciplinary probation status may also be required to have designs and revisions pre-approved.

What is changing?
The changes below are detailed in the Program Guide for Solar Trade Allies:

• Most residential incentive applications will now be expedited. Standard residential projects will still go through a completeness and eligibility screening by program staff, but only some applications will be selected for technical design review. Trade allies are still responsible to meet all program requirements including installation standards. Requirements will be enforced with spot check design reviews and system verifications.
• Installation verifications may also be expedited as we roll out the streamlined remote verification process described below.
• Projects that receive a technical design review, including Solar Within Reach, battery storage and business projects, will use a simplified single-pass process. The program will no longer use the Design Rejected or Design Revised statuses in PowerClerk, except as needed for newly enrolled trade ally contractors. If a design requires revisions, the verifier will provide comments that the trade ally must incorporate into the installation process, and the program will issue a funding reservation without delay. The trade ally will not be required to submit design revisions until the installation is complete.
• System design changes will no longer require pre-approval. Trade allies will now be asked to submit all design changes along with as-built documentation when notifying Energy Trust that the project is installed. Please note this means the incentive amount may also be revised to reflect the system installed. All design changes must still meet program requirements.

Effective now for existing SiteCapture users and coming soon for all trade ally contractors:

• Most trade ally contractors will be eligible to submit remote verification reports in the coming months. The program uses a platform called SiteCapture to allow trade allies to provide photo documentation of installations in lieu of scheduling an onsite verification. The solar program is expanding eligibility for the remote verification program and eligible trade allies not already enrolled in SiteCapture will be contacted by program staff in the coming months as we make this shift.
• For trade allies already submitting remote verification reports, a streamlined residential form will be released. The program has streamlined the residential remote verification report, reducing required data fields and photos by almost 50%. This new form is available in SiteCapture for trade allies already enrolled in the remote verification process.

Until further notice:

• The Solar Trade Ally Rating system will remain paused. The program needs additional time to gather feedback and consider how these process changes will impact how ratings are determined.

These changes reflect the program’s focus on solar projects that address equity, support community resilience, and create a dispatchable flexible resource for utility grid operators. They also reflect how much the Oregon solar industry has grown and matured since Energy Trust launched its Solar program in 2003. Please let me know if you have feedback or reach out to Robert Wyllie, solar project manager, with specific process questions.