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Home : Public + Nonprofit : Public K-12 Schools : Solar Water Heating

Solar Water Heating

Preheat your facility’s water with energy from the sun and give your water heater a break. Energy Trust offers cash incentives for commercial solar water heating projects—incentives vary based on calculated energy savings and average 10-15 percent of the total project cost. When paired with federal and state tax credits, projects can pay for themselves in a little as four years.

Energy Trust Incentives

PGE/Pacific Power customer using electric water heating:
$0.40 per first-year kWh savings
NW Natural/Cascade Natural Gas customer using gas water heating: $6.00 per first-year therm savings

Maximum incentive is 35 percent of project cost (typically 10-15 percent).

Tax Credits

  • Oregon: 50 percent of maximum eligible cost, claimed over five years (10 percent per year)
  • Federal: 30 percent of eligible project cost, plus accelerated depreciation (Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System)
  • You must be an Oregon customer of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural or Cascade Natural Gas.
  • All projects must be approved by Energy Trust prior to installation.
  • Systems must be installed by a qualified Energy Trust trade ally contractor. Self-installed systems do not qualify.
  • All system components must be new.

A solar water heating system is an investment for your business. Like any investment, it will require research, planning and a financial commitment. The steps below will get you started:

  1. Consider your budget, water heating costs (whether electricity or natural gas), roof life, roof area and sun exposure.
  2. Get bids from several solar trade ally contractors.
  3. Find project financing, if necessary. GreenStreet Lending offers preferred rates, no closing costs and no loan fees.
  4. Select a contractor.
  5. Apply for your Oregon Business Energy Tax Credit before starting your project. Your contractor will provide the form and assist you. If you are a public or nonprofit organization, you will work with your contractor to apply for the Business Energy Tax Credit pass-through option.
  6. Apply for your Energy Trust incentive before starting your project. Your contractor will provide the form and assist you.
  7. Wait as your contractor installs your solar water heating system.
  8. After Energy Trust verifies the installation, receive your incentive check from Energy Trust. If you are a public or nonprofit organization, you will work with your Business Energy Tax Credit pass-through partner to receive proceeds from the partner.
  9. Claim your state and federal tax credits (if applicable).
    • Submit the Business Energy Tax Credit certificate you received from Oregon Department of Energy with your state tax return.
    • Submit the IRS Business Energy Investment Tax Credit Form 3468 with your federal tax return.

All required forms will be supplied by the trade ally contractor that installs your system. You can preview the form below:

Have questions? Call us at 1.866.368.7878.