Community Solar

Check your income against the eligibility chart.

The program offers special reduced rates that provide guaranteed bill savings for income-qualified customers. Plus, you never pay administrative fees or termination charges.

1. Sign up for a free conversation with Community Energy Project (scroll to the “schedule today” section). During this appointment, they can answer any questions you have about the program. Appointments are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Russian.

2. Your name must be on the household electricity account.

3. You will need to know your household size and annual income.

4. Have your monthly PGE bill, either online or a printed copy to access:

   • Your account number

   • Your meter number

5. Community Energy Project will place you on a waitlist until it is your turn to be assigned to a project. When the project is ready, the project manager will contact you to sign a contract. Your credits will appear on your bill when the project is up and running and generating energy.

Homeowners, renters and businesses may save 3-5% over the course of the year. Income-qualified subscriptions will have larger savings.

For non-income qualified subscriptions, it is important to note:

• You will see most of these savings in the summer when the sun is shining and solar projects produce the most energy. Savings are not consistent each month.

• Administrative fees keep this program running. Some projects have rolled these into the subscription fee and you won’t see them. Other projects keep them separate, which means your bill may increase by a few dollars during winter months when solar generation is low. Most projects are designed to deliver savings over the course of the year but not every month.

• It is important to size subscriptions below your energy usage. If your usage exceeds your subscription you may experience fees. Project representatives should help you select the correct subscription size. Ask your project representative about this.

• Ask your project representative about contract details such as whether they require advanced notice if you decide to end your subscription and if they charge a termination fee.

Your subscription will be activated and you will see it on your bill once your project is up and running. Some projects recruit subscribers 1-2 months before they go live, other projects recruit 1-2 years in advance. If your project has several months before it goes live, your representative should provide an update every three months. Reach out to your project representative with questions.

Yes, you can participate in one or both programs to increase your support of renewable energy. A key question to ask yourself is 'Do I want to buy more renewable products than I need to match my home's energy use?' If you don't want to buy more than you use, then you can choose either program:

• The Community Solar Program supports local renewable energy projects and can provide bill savings. It is not a 100% match.

• PGE’s Renewable Power programs match your energy use with 100% regional and national renewable energy.

All Oregon utility customers pay for the program, which was passed by Oregon Legislature in 2016 as part of the Oregon Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Plan. It’s designed to bring more small-scale solar projects to Oregon. Because of this, it is a limited, first-come, first-serve offering.