Solar

Considering Rooftop Solar? Here's what you should know.

At Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative, we support our member-owners’ interest in renewable energy, including rooftop solar. While we do not sell or install solar panels, we’re here to help you make informed decisions. If you’re thinking about adding solar to your home, it’s important to do your research and work with reputable installers.

Unfortunately, not all solar offers are created equal. Some companies make misleading claims about savings or even promise customers that they will never see another power bill. Always be cautious of high-pressure sales tactics, promises of "free" solar panels, or companies that say they’re working on our behalf — they aren’t.

We encourage our member-owners to reach out to us early in the process. We can help you understand how solar connects to the electric grid, how it affects your energy bill, and what to expect before you sign a contract. Your safety, satisfaction, and long-term savings are our priority.

10 STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE INSTALLING SOLAR
As solar technology improves, installing a residential solar system—also called a photovoltaic or PV system—makes sense for some consumers. However, even with these recent improvements in PV, it’s important to find out the facts before committing to a purchase. Consider these points as you explore whether solar is right for your situation.

Performing energy efficiency upgrades around the home tend to have relatively quick ROIs. It is recommended that members first perform basic fixit projects in the home prior to installing solar, such as sealing all air leaks, then properly insulating the home. You can cut your energy costs immediately, and you’ll also be able to reduce the size of the PV system you purchase.

Most solar systems are designed to provide you with a portion of the electricity needed, but won’t provide 100 percent of your needs. At night and on cloudy days, and possibly at other high-energy-use times, you’ll need more power than your PV system can produce. That means you’ll still be connected to OTEC’s power lines. Because these systems are grid-connected, energy can flow both ways. Each utility—including your electric cooperative—sets appropriate policies and rates for connecting PV systems to their lines (the grid) and for possibly purchasing any excess energy your system might provide (net metering). As you begin to explore solar systems, be sure you ask cooperative experts about rate structures, the interconnection process, essential safety precautions, and any other connection-related details.

OTEC can help you review your past energy use, and help you determine how the projects you’ve undertaken to improve energy efficiency may help lower your future energy use. One pertinent bit of information that will be useful is looking at how your energy use fluctuates throughout the day. Having that information will help you determine—with expert assistance—the size and type of system best suited to your situation.

OTEC, like most electric cooperatives, does not sell, install, or maintain PV systems, so you will either purchase or lease a system from a contractor who is not a part of the cooperative. If you purchase a solar system, you will be the owner, and you’ll be responsible for the purchase price, as well as ongoing maintenance and repair costs. If leasing is the option you prefer, you will pay less initially, but you’ll likely have higher ongoing costs. In either case, it pays to spend time figuring out all of the expenses you’ll be responsible for during the life of the system. These may include: installation (in addition to the price of the system), interconnection costs, insurance, taxes, and possibly others, too. If you are leasing, ask contractors about the length of the term, if the contract is transferrable to a new homeowner should you sell your home, potential for price increases, as well as the same questions you’d ask if you were to purchase a PV system. In the “credit” column of your price comparisons, look at any incentives, rebates, and tax credits offered for either a purchase or a lease. The age and condition of your roof may also factor into the upfront cost. If it is close to time to replace your roof, complete that before starting the process of seeking solar.

Any financial incentives available will help reduce your investment costs. Opportunities vary by state and locale, and many have expiration dates. One database offering details is www.dsireusa.org. This site includes a clickable, interactive map, showing federal and state incentives, credits, exemptions, grants, loans, and rebates for residential and commercial/industrial projects.

If you purchase a PV system, you’ll need to meet the requirements of your OTEC’s interconnection agreement. That includes paying any costs of connecting to the cooperative grid. Local and/or state officials are responsible for conducting safety inspections, but it’s your responsibility to notify them in advance about your installation. After the interconnection requirements are met, and the safety and integrity of your system are approved, your cooperative will take care of the connection to the grid. And, as the owner of the system, you’ll be responsible for maintenance and system repairs. If you lease a system, your responsibilities will depend on the agreement you sign. Be sure you know and understand what your responsibilities are.

Most solar systems are grid-connected. Because of the two-way flow of electricity, excess energy your PV system collects during the daytime flows into your cooperative’s lines. This shoulders you with the responsibility for the safety of your cooperative line staff, others who may come in contact with a downed power line, and your cooperative’s equipment. Improper connection and maintenance of your system may endanger people and the reliability of the grid.

Start with a list of options garnered from website research, local or state Better Business Bureaus, renewable energy associations, your state energy office, your state Attorney General’s office, extension service staff, and any other local experts you can call on for assistance and advice. Contact at least a few of those contractors appearing on your list, especially if recommended by multiple state and local experts. Winnow your list after asking many questions checking out other installations the contractor has completed, comparing bids (get at least three), checking references, and thoroughly examining contracts. If possible, ask a contract specialist or lawyer to review the contract before signing.

Questions to Ask a Solar Contractor (3.41 MB)

Keep files on your pre-purchase research and pre-installation data provided by your cooperative, as well as bids, contracts, inspection reports, maintenance records, and all other details you may need to refer to in the future. In addition, you’ll want to know about system performance, so set up a system to track and compare your actual system performance with predictions provided by the contractor/installer.

Solar FAQ

Before you make a decision to purchase a system, answer the following questions.

Is my roof large or strong enough to hold solar panels? Will my roof need to be replaced to accommodate solar panels?
Does the sun have unobstructed access to my roof?
Will zoning or neighborhood covenants allow it?
Are there enough sunny days to make it worthwhile?

Note: A “no” answer to any of these may significantly increase the cost or risk of failure.

Consider not only the cost of the equipment and installation, but also any permits, extra homeowner’s insurance costs or other legal issues that must be addressed and included.
Do not forget to include the added costs of ongoing maintenance and warranties.
Check with OTEC to determine the cost of a net metering connection, the rates currently available to purchase electric service and the rate OTEC will buy back excess power that may be generated. All these factors are important to your payback calculations.
What is the maximum payback period you can tolerate?
If the payback is longer than the expected life of the equipment, you must include replacement costs in your financial projections. The average cost of a home solar system is from $5,000 to $10,000 and goes up from there. Many solar systems today last 20-25 years; however, depending on the total installation and operating costs, some members may never realize a payback or savings in their lifetime.

No system, including OTEC’s can offer 100 percent reliable service, 24 hours, 7 days a week. Most likely, if reliability is important, you will want to remain connected to OTEC’s system because the sun does not shine every day, nor at night. All OTEC’s solar members are presently connected to the grid, ensuring power is there on cloudy days or when their system is not generating enough electricity to meet their needs. This is important to configuring your equipment requirements as well as the total cost of your system.
Battery storage back up is becoming a popular addition to solar systems but the technology is still very new and expensive.
What equipment and installation warranties are offered when something breaks or does not work? And, how fast can repairs be made? Will you have to pay extra for this service? Warranties may add to the cost and change the payback period.

The best advice is to seek information from others. Talk to people who have a solar generation system to get their input on how things actually work. Discuss the true costs, and the amount of ongoing effort and money it takes to maintain their system.
Ask for and investigate contractor references. Ensure the contractors you are considering have current licenses and are credentialed or certified. Ask how many installations a contractor has performed because experience is often the key to minimizing problems.
Do some shopping and get cost comparisons from multiple contractors.
Be sure to inquire if training for operating and maintaining the system are included.
Remember optimal performance of any solar generation system is predicated on the right placement, correct roof mounting, and sizing of panels.

The amount of energy you need determines the size of the system. This requires an analysis of your present electric load. What do you want your solar system to power, for example, a 50 gallon water heater, A/C system, electric range, refrigerator, washer and dryer, etc.?
Generally a system rated between 1 and 5 kilowatts is adequate to meet your home’s needs. However, be sure to consider future changes such as an addition to the home, adding a hot tub, or some other change that will require increasing electric capacity requirements.
Size affects the overall cost, reliability, and can impact roof structure, so choose wisely.
Orientation and tilt of roof panels is also critical to ongoing performance.

Knowing as much as possible about maintenance and upkeep is critical to your decision making process before buying a solar system.
1. How much work and who will do the maintenance and upkeep? Solar panels must be keep free of dirt and leaves, etc. in order to have the maximum absorption.
2. Panels should be checked for cracks and scratches and professionally cleaned once a year.
Is someone available locally who can service my system, or will they have to travel (and how far), and what are the rates?

There are many solar equipment companies offering a myriad of ways for you to pay nothing or very little upfront to have solar power. These include renting or leasing options, and some incorporate equipment maintenance. However, all too often these deals require additional long-term contracts, commitments and can add costs, all of which should be carefully considered and compared against outright ownership of a system.
Typically, an agreement with the third-party owner contains monthly fees for the use of the equipment and a charge for each solar kilowatt hour used in the home at a rate slightly less than what would have been realized if the system was owned by the homeowner. Depending on the total costs of installing and maintaining a system, OTEC’s rates may be less than generating electricity from solar power.
Usually any state or federal tax incentives available cannot be claimed by the homeowner, and the proceeds from selling excess electricity generated by the system and purchased by OTEC belong to the third-party, not the homeowner. Remember third-party contract fees are in addition to what you will pay to OTEC for power when the sun does not shine.
Nevertheless, many of the third-party agreements include maintenance and upkeep of the system relieving the homeowner of this burden.

Solar

Solar FAQ

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1. Make your home more energy-efficient before buying a solar system.

2. Research, research, research before investing in a solar system.

3. Understand how a solar system meshes with your cooperative's system.

4. Review your current energy use to determine what size PV system to install.

5. Tally upfront costs.

6. Search for incentives, rebates, and tax credits.

7. Accept short- and long-term responsibilities.

8. Follow all safety precautions.

9. Choose a reputable contractor/installer.

10. Maintain good records.

Solar FAQ

Is a solar power generator feasible for my location?

Will the savings be significant enough to make the investment worthwhile?

How much reliability will I have and do I need?

From whom should I purchase the equipment and who should install it?

What size system will I need?

How much maintenance will be required?

Should I consider a third-party ownership or financing agreement for my system?

Quick Links

Office Hours

Baker Office

Burns Office

John Day Office

La Grande Office

Offices Closed Holidays for 2025