Revision to Solar Electric Installation Requirements

Dear solar electric trade allies,

Effective immediately, Energy Trust of Oregon will allow approved remote shade analysis tools to qualify for solar electric incentives. A solar resource assessment from an approved shade analysis tool is required to be submitted as part of the incentive application packet. In the past, Energy Trust required a measurement to be taken at the proposed installation site from the location with the lowest TSRF value. Effective November 14th, Energy Trust is expanding the acceptable shade evaluation methods under Section 2.5 of the Solar Electric Installation Requirements to include remote shade analysis as described here:

Section 2.5.1 – Solar resource shall be measured with an Energy Trust sun chart or approved shading analysis tool as described in Section 2.5.2. Details on using sun charts and a list of approved shading analysis tools are available on the Energy Trust Solar Trade Ally Forms & Resources webpage

Section 2.5.2 – Total Solar Resource Fraction (TSRF) shall meet one of the following requirements:

On-site Shade Analysis – Energy Trust requires that solar resource be measured from the point on the array where shading is most significant and the entire array(s) have a TSRF of 75 percent or greater to be eligible for solar incentives. Projects may include modules with a TSRF of less than 75 percent if the modules are electrically isolated using micro inverters, but those modules will not be eligible for incentives. Trade allies must submit a solar resource evaluation taken from the point on the array with the lowest TSRF using an approved site analysis tool. For systems over 25kW in size minimal inter-row shading may be permissible with the Program’s pre-approval.

Remote Shading Analysis – Energy Trust requires that each plane of the array(s) have a TSRF of 80 percent or greater to be eligible for incentives. Trade allies must submit a solar resource evaluation using an approved remote site analysis tool. For systems over 25kW in size minimal inter-row shading may be permissible with the Program’s pre-approval.

This change will be formally reflected in the upcoming January 2017 revision to the installation requirements, however applications submitted with a solar resource assessment from an approved tool that displays the required information as outlined in the instructions provided on the Energy Trust website will be accepted on or after November 14, 2016

This change is part of our ongoing Solar Soft Cost-Reduction Initiative. Please contact Jeni Hall with any questions about these changes. Thank you for your cooperation and your continued participation with Energy Trust.

NOTE: This change in program requirements only affects the Energy Trust solar incentive application and does not affect the Oregon Department of Energy’s rules to qualify for the Residential Energy Tax Credit (RETC). Residential trade allies, as Tax Credit Technicians, should help customers ensure their projects also meet minimum TSRF requirements for the RETC.