Oregon Solar Incentives Just Got Better for Lower-Income Households: Here's What's Changing June 1 2026

If you've looked into solar in Oregon and wondered whether you qualify for extra incentives, there's a meaningful change happening June 1 that you need to know about.

Energy Trust of Oregon, the nonprofit that manages solar rebates for PGE and Pacific Power, is updating the income eligibility rules for its income-qualified programs, including Solar Within Reach and the Income-Qualified Battery Storage incentive.

What's Changing

Starting June 1, 2026, Energy Trust is switching from State Median Income (SMI) to Area Median Income (AMI) as the basis for determining who qualifies.

Here's what that means in plain terms:

• Old standard: Your household had to earn below 120% of Oregon's statewide median income
• New standard: Your household must earn below 150% of the median income for your specific county

Because AMI is calculated county-by-county rather than statewide, it better reflects actual cost-of-living differences across Oregon. What's "middle income" in rural Crook County looks very different than it does in Washington County or the Portland metro. This change means more households will likely qualify — especially in higher-cost areas where incomes are slightly elevated but so are expenses.

Why This Matters for Oregon Solar Shoppers

The Solar Within Reach program offers enhanced cash incentives on top of the standard Energy Trust solar rebate. For qualifying households, this can meaningfully reduce the upfront cost of going solar — making the rate-lock benefit of solar ownership more accessible to more Oregonians.

Oregon utility rates have increased sharply in recent years — PGE alone has raised rates by roughly 50% since 2022, with further increases expected. Locking in your energy costs with solar now, before another round of rate hikes, is one of the smartest financial moves a homeowner can make. Income-qualified programs like Solar Within Reach are designed to make sure that option isn't only available to the highest earners.

What You Should Do Now

If you've previously looked into solar and thought you might not qualify for income-based incentives, it's worth checking again under the new AMI guidelines. New income tables go into effect June 1 for any system with a completed install date on or after that date.

Read the official announcement from Energy Trust of Oregon →

National Solar is an Energy Trust of Oregon Trade Ally with 17+ years and 3,500+ installs across Oregon. We can help you find out exactly which incentives you qualify for before you spend a dollar.