Commercial Energy Efficiency Rebate for Existing Buildings
Administered by Energy Trust of Oregon
As a commercial building owner, you can receive cash rebates for energy-efficient upgrades to your existing facility—from HVAC and water heaters to lighting, insulation, and food-service equipment—through Energy Trust of Oregon. Rebates vary by project and location within your utility service area (Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas, or Avista), and you must receive pre-approval before purchasing equipment or beginning work to qualify.
Energy Trust offers both prescriptive rebates for standard efficiency measures (data center cooling, HVAC, water heaters, insulation, and lighting) and custom incentives for non-standard projects, allowing you to expand the projects you can offer customers. You must obtain pre-approval from Energy Trust before your customer makes any equipment purchases or starts work, and note that customers using over one average megawatt per year may face Self-Direct policy restrictions.
Energy Trust of Oregon administers this rebate program for commercial and institutional customers of five investor-owned utilities (PGE, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade, and Avista) who pay the public purpose surcharge. The program operates both prescriptive and custom incentive tracks, with pre-approval required for all projects; additional support includes Strategic Energy Management offerings and early-design assistance for new construction. Funding and specific rebate amounts vary by measure and project, with restrictions applying to high-consumption customers under the Self-Direct policy.
Program details
- Program ID
- 2437
- Last updated
- 5/30/2025
Eligibility
- Sectors
- commercial
- Technologies
- clothes washers dishwasher equipment insulation water heaters lighting lighting controls/sensors furnaces boilers heat pumps air conditioners steam-system upgrades compressed air energy mgmt. systems/building controls building insulation motor vfds custom/others pending approval other ee insulation food service equipment commercial cooking equipment data center equipment led lighting tankless water heater commercial refrigeration equipment
Program summary
Energy Trust of Oregon offers incentives for commercial and institutional customers of any of the state's investor-owned utilities to increase the energy efficiency of their existing buildings. The standard incentive program provides prescriptive rebates for data center cooling, HVAC and water heaters, insulation, and lighting as well as equipment specific to lodging and food services, grocery stores, and service shops and warehouses. Rebates vary by project and must be pre-approved before making any equipment purchases or initiating work.
Business customers retrofitting existing buildings through measures not covered under the standard incentive program can still receive financial assistance from Energy Trust through the custom incentive program. Restrictions and limitations apply to customers who use over one average megawatt per year and are subject to the Self-Direct policy. The program also offers incentives through Strategic Energy Management.
To receive Energy Trust incentives, customers must be served by Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas, or Avista in Oregon, and pay the public purpose surcharge.
Contact & resources
- Contact email
- existingbuildings@energytrust.org
- Additional resources
Please verify current program details with the administering agency before making any financial decisions.
