Custom Track Incentives

The Custom Track offers up to $500,000 in incentives per project based on the first year annual electric and gas savings estimates/calculations. The estimated energy savings are determined through an energy model or energy analysis, using Oregon energy code as the baseline. Incentives are calculated at the following rates:

1. New construction projects: $0.10 per kilowatt hour and $0.80 per therm
2. Major renovation lighting projects: $0.17/kWh, up to 35 percent of eligible project cost, not to exceed 100 percent of incremental cost
3. Major renovation non-lighting projects: $0.20/kWh and $1/therm, up to 35 percent of eligible project cost, not to exceed 100 percent of incremental cost

Additional Incentives

Early Design Assistance

Energy Trust offers incentives for early design assistance.

Technical Assistance

All Custom Track projects are eligible to apply for an amount up to 50 percent of the project's estimated total incentive, up to $25,000. The technical assistance incentive is in addition to the project’s incentive.

If a project is only installing solar electric or solar thermal, it is not eligible for technical assistance. When energy-efficiency upgrades are combined with solar then the incentive amount for the study will be determined by the potential incentives of the efficiency upgrades.

Commissioning for Custom Track projects

The commissioning option offers incentives to commission energy-efficiency upgrades approved and completed under the Custom Track process. Commissioning work must meet the standards outlined in ASHRAE Guideline 0 – 2005: The Commissioning Process

Commissioning incentives are available up to $40,000 per project for qualifying projects.

Projects that receive incentives for commissioning must have successfully completed a Custom Track project.

To be eligible to receive incentives a project must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• The project must be served by Portland General Electric or Pacific Power to receive incentives for electric measures and NW Natural or Cascade Natural Gas to receive incentives for gas measures. 
• The project must pay or plan to pay the public purpose charge.
• The project site must be located in Oregon.
• The project must be new construction, an addition to an existing structure or a major renovation to an existing structure. 
• The project must be a commercial, industrial, manufacturing or institutional building.

Eligible building types may include office, retail, healthcare and hospitals, warehouse or storage, restaurant, manufacturing, grocery, hotels and motels, public and private schools or colleges, mixed-use, high-rise multifamily residential (more than 3 stories) and parking garages.

If your project is eligible, you can enroll it by following these steps in the specified order:

1. Submit Project Enrollment: Form 510E before purchasing any equipment or materials for the project.
2. If applying for technical assistance, submit the Technical Assistance Application: Form 520TA.
3. Submit the Custom Track and Commissioning Application: Form 520C.
4. Submit all equipment product data sheets.
5. Receive approval from Energy Trust.
6. Purchase and install the equipment.
7. Submit the Payment Request: Form 540PR.
8. Submit all supporting payment documentation.
9. Project may be required to participate in a site verification visit.
10. Receive your check.

For more detailed information, contact us by email or at 1.877.467.0930.

Project Enrollment: Form 510E
Technical Assistance Application: Form 520TA
Early Design Assistance Application: Form 520ED
Custom Track and Commissioning Application: Form 520C
Payment Request: Form 540PR
Professional Engineer Certification: Form 540PE
IRS Form W-9

Custom Track tools:

Technical Guidelines:
Explains the requirements for a complete energy analysis for custom projects

Report Template:
Easy-to-use document that helps you create a report to accompany your custom track energy analysis

Savings Summary Worksheet:
Excel spreadsheet for analysts to input a project's ECMs, kilowatt hour and therm savings and the incremental cost; included in this worksheet is the cost-effectiveness calculator.

Proposed Energy Analysis Plan:
Template to follow when applying for technical assistance