Energy Trust’s Solar team has announced 2026 Solar incentive amounts, along with plans for closing out remaining 2025 projects. The goal of these updates is to help inform Solar trade allies about Energy Trust Solar program activity, and to help the industry prepare for 2026 and beyond. Please use this information to help guide your business activities for the remainder of 2025 and also as you look ahead to 2026.
For 2025 residential-scale incentive offers, including:
- Solar for Homes (PGE and PAC)
- Solar Within Reach (PGE and PAC)
- Battery Storage for Homes (PGE and PAC)
- Battery Storage—Income-Qualified (PGE and PAC)
In response to significant market demand driven by the coming sunset of the Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit (also known as the investment tax credit or ITC) on December 31, 2025 Energy Trust’s Solar + Storage program anticipates that residential incentives for 2025 projects will be fully subscribed before the end of the year. In response, we will open 2026 residential Solar incentive allocations early for 2026 installations (see below for more detail). 2025 incentive allocations currently listed on the Incentive Status Report are considered final. Once these allocations are fully subscribed, the incentive offers will close.
Additionally, all residential Solar incentive applications for projects receiving 2025 Solar incentives must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. November 16, 2025. This will ensure that staff have adequate time to review and process applications, and more importantly, will allow trade allies the time required to successfully complete installation by the December 31, 2025 deadline. It will also ensure that customers are eligible for the Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit. NOTE: Projects do not need to complete Energy Trust’s verification or incentive payment process to be consider “installed.”
The primary driver of these decisions is to help preserve Energy Trust funds in 2026 and beyond when the market will need greater support. While some residential solar offers may close early this fall, trade allies and customers should be assured that Energy Trust funding remains stable through 2035.
For standard business-scale incentive offers, including:
- Solar for Businesses (PGE and PAC)
- Battery Storage for Businesses (PGE and PAC)
- Solar Development Assistance (PGE and PAC)
- Battery Storage Development Assistance (PGE and PAC)
These incentive offers will be managed as per normal procedure until the end of the year. Incentive rates and allocations are reflected in the Incentive Status Report, and Energy Trust does not anticipate any business incentive closures or new application deadlines. Incentive rates may gradually decrease based on demand and will continue at similar rates in 2026. Development assistance rates will be moderately lower to support more projects in 2026 (see below for more details).
For equity-focused business-scale incentive offers, including:
- Solar for Affordable Housing (PGE and PAC)
- Solar for Qualifying Nonprofits (PGE and PAC)
- Solar for Tribes (PGE and PAC)
Final incentive allocations for 2025 are currently shown on the Incentive Status Report. Once fully subscribed, these offers will be closed for additional 2025 incentive applications. Future incentive rates and allocations have not yet been finalized for these offers, however, Energy Trust remains committed to supporting these and other community-based projects in 2026 and beyond.
2026 Incentive Rates
Confirmed 2026 incentives are summarized in the table below. Energy Trust’s Solar program will begin accepting applications for residential projects on September 15, 2025. We will begin accepting applications for business projects on January 1, 2026. Moving forward, the Solar program will continue its practice of gradually reducing incentives over time and will target no more than one small incentive reduction per quarter for each offer. The full budget and allocations will be announced later in 2025, once approved by the Energy Trust board of directors.
| Offer | Incentive (PGE) | Incentive (PAC) | Opening Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar for Homes | $2,500 (flat) | $2,500 (flat) | September 15 |
| Solar Within Reach | $0.90/W up to $5,500 | $0.90/W up to $5,500 | September 15 |
| Battery Storage for Homes | $400/kWh up to $5,000 | $320/kWh up to $4,000 | September 15 |
| Battery Storage—Income-Qualified | $520/kWh up to $6,500 | $440/kWh up to $5,500 | September 15 |
| Solar for Businesses | $0.10/W up to $10,000 | $0.10/W up to $10,000 | January 1 |
| Battery Storage for Businesses | $300/kWh up to $9,000 | $300/kWh up to $9,000 | January 1 |
| Solar Development Assistance | 100% up to $2,000 | 100% up to $2,000 | January 1 |
| Battery Storage Development Assistance | 100% up to $3,000 | 100% up to $3,000 | January 1 |
| All other offers | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Key dates to remember:
- September 15, 2025: 2026 Residential Incentive rates available for 2026 project applications
- November 16, 2025 (11:59 p.m.): Residential incentive application deadline (all complete project incentive applications must be submitted) for 2025 installations
- December 31, 2025: All residential projects receiving the federal Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit must be installed (Energy Trust verification and close-out can occur in 2026).
- January 1, 2026: Business-scale incentive applications open
Additional guidance for trade allies
Note: Solar staff will monitor activity to manage the residential Solar incentive budget. 2025 residential Solar offers will close if/when allocations are fully subscribed.
- 2025 and 2026 residential incentive availability will overlap between September 15 and November 16, 2025. Energy Trust’s website will continue to display 2025 incentive information until November 17, when 2026 incentive information will be posted. Trade allies will have “early access” to 2026 incentives to manage their own project pipeline and make the best offer to prospective customers.
- 2026 incentives are available exclusively for 2026 installations. Trade allies will be required to provide an estimated completion date in 2026 when applying for incentives in PowerClerk, and submit jurisdictional approval at project completion. If a trade ally is able install a project with a 2026 incentive in 2025, thereby allowing the customer to take advantage of the federal tax credit, the trade ally must notify Energy Trust Solar staff so the project incentive can be adjusted accordingly.
- Energy Trust staff will prioritize processing 2025 incentive applications. 2026 incentive reservations may be processed on a slower timeline.
- New 2026 incentive applications will be processed as they are received. Projects to be installed in 2026 will be held in ‘Funds Reserved’ status until installation after December 31, 2025.
- If a Trade Ally currently has active reservations that they know will be installed in 2026, please notify Energy Trust staff at solar@energytrust.org so those 2026 projects can be converted to increased 2026 incentive rates once they become available on September 15. Customers will need to sign an updated incentive agreement and projects cannot be installed until 2026.
- Energy Trust residential Solar incentives are available for consumer-owned projects. Third-party owned systems are not eligible for Energy Trust incentives at this time.
Thank you for all you do for Oregon’s solar + storage industry. Please reach out to the Energy Trust team at solar@energytrust.org with any questions.