Oregon Community Solar Program

February 28, 2023

Summary

The Oregon Community Solar Program was first introduced through Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 860-088. This rule's creation was directed under 2016 Senate Bill 1547, with administrative authority being given to the Public Utility Commission. Community Solar projects may only be approved if ownership is demonstrated for 50 percent or more of project nameplate capacity. Additionally, community solar projects must have a subscription minimum of 5 persons and not exceed 3 megawatts in nameplate capacity. Projects must be located in the Oregon service territory of an electric utility, with at least 10 percent of the project generating capacity allocated exclusively to low-income residential customers. A single participant's ownership or subscription interest may exceed neither 40 percent of the project nor the retail electricity customer’s average annual consumption of electricity.

Start-up costs for the program are obtained via electric company rates, on-going costs are obtained through participants.

For further information regarding the program, see the Oregon Community Solar Program site.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector:	State
Category:	Regulatory Policy
State:	Oregon
Incentive Type:	Community Solar Rules
Web Site:	https://www.oregoncsp.org/
Administrator:	Oregon Public Utility Commission
Start Date:
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:	Solar Photovoltaics
System Capacity Limit:	3MW
Program Capacity Limit:	Initial capacity tier: 2.5% of each investor-owned utility’s 2016 system peak, estimated to be 160 MW collectively The Commission may authorize additional tiers beyond the initial capacity tier
Participant Credit Rate:	Retail rate was used for the first half of the initial capacity tier. For the second tier, all customers will receive a 2% escalator annually from the retail rate and non-residential customers will receive 90% of the Tier 1 rate.
Low-Moderate Income Provisions:	At least 10 percent of the total generating capacity of the Community Solar Program must be allocated exclusively for use by low-income residential customers. The respective bill credits associated with this allocation must be linked to discrete low-income residential customers.

Authorities

Name:	SB 1547 (2016)
Date Enacted:	03/08/2016
Effective Date:	07/01/2017

Name:

OAR 860-88

Name:	Release of Remaining Capacity in the Initial Tier
Date Enacted:	03/04/2022

Contact

Name:	Oregon Community Solar Program
Organization:	Oregon Community Solar Program
Address:	421 SW Oak St., Suite 300 Portland OR 97204
Phone:	(+18) 004-8105
Email:	info@oregoncsp.org

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.