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PORTLAND, Ore. — March 31, 2015 — Energy Trust of Oregon has launched Mapdwell: Solar SystemTM, a new online resource that homeowners and businesses in Washington County can use to determine the solar potential of their rooftops — including estimated installation costs and annual savings. To access this free tool, Washington County home and business owners can visit www.mapdwell.com/energytrust and type in their address.

Mapdwell shows an estimated installation cost for a rooftop solar system, how much renewable energy can be produced and available Energy Trust incentives and state or federal tax credits. The website makes it easy to estimate and optimize solar energy on each building throughout the county. With one click, home and business owners can contact a local Energy Trust solar trade ally contractor to get started.

“Owners haven’t had a good way to see how much solar they can generate on their rooftops,” said Lizzie Rubado, senior project manager, Energy Trust. “Mapdwell allows them to calculate the solar potential at their home or business and explore different system sizes. It even estimates Energy Trust cash incentives plus any state or federal tax credits that help make projects more affordable.”

Solar is the fastest growing energy source in the U.S., powering homes and businesses across the country. In Oregon, more than 8,000 families and businesses are generating their own renewable power and saving money through lower utility bills.

Dale Walker, a partner at Secure Storage in Hillsboro, turned to solar in 2010 as a way to save on operations costs. “I have a friend in the solar business who suggested that we go solar. At first, I thought the payback was too good to be true,” said Walker. A solar electric system now generates about 95 percent of Secure Storage’s power, according to Walker, and monthly energy bills are down significantly.

Since 2010, the average price of solar panels has declined by 64 percent. Between lower costs and available tax credits and incentives, Energy Trust experts say there’s never been a better time to install solar. “Our customers are often surprised to learn just how affordable solar systems have become,” said Rubado.

Washington County homeowners Anbu Varatharajan and Durga Nallathambi installed solar on their newly built home in late 2013. While the family’s home already had a number of energy-efficiency features, they were not yet sure if solar fit their budget. Energy Trust cash incentives helped bridge the gap.

“We thought adding solar would be very expensive, until our neighbor went through the process,” explained Varatharajan. “We were able to get a solar lease plan, which meant no out-of-pocket cost for us, but we can still make a positive environmental impact, and of course we are saving on our energy bills.”

Energy Trust solar incentives reduce the initial solar system costs, and state and federal tax credits offer dollar-for-dollar reductions of annual tax owed. Now is a great time to go solar.

Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping utility customers benefit from saving energy and generating renewable power. Our services, cash incentives and energy solutions have helped participating customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas save more than $1.7 billion on energy bills. Our work helps keep energy costs as low as possible, creates jobs and builds a sustainable energy future. Learn more at www.energytrust.org or call 1-866-368-7878.