As of November 7, the Solar Water Heating program and solar water heating cash incentives for residential and commercial customers were discontinued.

As described in the October issue of Insider, Energy Trust has been actively engaged with the Oregon Public Utility Commission as it reviewed the cost-effectiveness of certain energy-efficiency measures. Based on its review, the OPUC concluded that Energy Trust incentives need to be discontinued for residential and commercial solar water heating and solar pool heating systems. The measures were no longer passing the cost-effectiveness tests Energy Trust is required to use when determining whether to provide incentives for energy-saving measures.

We understand these measures are important to you and your customers, and discontinuation of the incentives has implications for your business. Here are details to help you navigate these changes.

• No impact on solar electric projects: This decision will have no impact on the availability of incentives for solar electric projects, which are evaluated under a different set of economic criteria.
• Existing incentive reservations: There should be no impact on residential and commercial customers who have existing incentive reservations.
• Solar-ready water heating deadlines: Solar-ready water heating measures must be installed by December 31, 2014, and the Solar Ready Checklist must be submitted to Energy Trust by a qualified New Homes verifier by January 1, 2015, to qualify completed projects for incentives.
• Solar water heating ally designation discontinued: Energy Trust retired the solar water heating trade ally and solar water heating design ally designations as of November 7.
• Energy Trust customer communications: Energy Trust’s website now includes a dedicated solar water heating web page directing residential and commercial customers to other funding and online resources.

For more information, read the full announcement or contact Jennifer Hall, Energy Trust solar project manager.