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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 2017)
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 Fall Home Improvement & Car Care East Oregonian/Hermiston Herald Page 3C Residential energy tax credits to expire COURTESY PHOTO An home in Enterprise features solar panels that were recently installed. If you are considering adding rooftop solar panels to your home, an Oregon tax credit designed to help off set those costs is about to expire. Deadline to purchase devices Dec. 31 By GEORGE PLAVEN EO Media Group T ime is running out for homeowners and renters to claim tax credits from the Oregon Department of Energy for select energy effi ciency devices. The Residential Energy Tax Credit Program, established in 1977, offers tax credits for buying and installing eligible equipment such as rooftop solar panels, premium effi ciency furnaces, direct vent fi replaces and ductless heat pumps. Credits range in value from less than $100 up to $6,000, depending on the cost and amount of energy saved. The program is set to expire at the end of the 2017 tax season, with three key deadlines in the coming months: • Dec. 31, 2017 — deadline for purchasing devices. • April 1, 2018 — deadline for having device installed and operational. • June 1, 2018 — deadline to submit application for credits to the Department of Energy. For anyone installing rooftop solar panels, the deadline for contractors to submit an initial application to the Department of Energy is also Dec. 31, 2017. Rachel Wray, spokeswoman for the Department of Energy, encour- aged applicants to submit their paperwork as early as possible for processing. “Basically, the team looks like an H&R Block offi ce heading into April,” Wray said. Last year, department issued roughly $20 million in residential energy tax credits, Wray said. However, with the Legislature facing a budget defi cit, lawmakers opted not to extend the program beyond 2017. “It had a sunset,” Wray said. “(These programs) aren’t neces- sarily designed to last forever.” Michael Williams, energy incentives manager for the Depart- ment of Energy, said the program Oregon’s Solar and Residential energy efficiency tax credits Will Expire at the End of 2017. The state’s Residential Energy Tax Credit (RETC) devices must be purchased by Dec. 31, 2017, operational by April 1, 2018, and applications must be received by the Oregon Department of Energy no later than June 1, 2018. Details are at the Department of Energy’s website at: http://www.oregon.gov/energy/At-Home/Pages/ RETC.aspx. The maximum tax credit for each qualifying purchase depends on the cost of the improvement and the energy saved. Credits can range from about $100 up to $6,000. Among the credits are $250 for duct sealing, up to $600 for an electric heat pump water heater, up to $1,125 for an air-source ducted heat pump, up to $1,300 for a ductless heat pump, and up to $6,000 for a solar array. What does this mean for UEC members? Our UEC solar and energy efficiency incentives remain in place and we remain committed to these programs. If these Oregon tax credits are critical to you in deciding whether to pursue a home energy efficiency measure, you should contact us soon about getting your project moving along to maximize your potential savings. 750 W. Elm Ave. Hermiston, OR 97838 (541) 567-6414 www.UmatillaElectric.com was created to support the adoption of energy effi cient technologies at home — a far cheaper resource compared to building new power plants. “Energy effi ciency is the lowest cost, least risk energy resource in the area,” Williams said. The program issues on average between 15,000 and 16,000 credits per year. Credits can range from $92 for a heat recovery water heater, up to $6,000 for rooftop solar panels ($1,500 per year for four years). However, the amount of the credit cannot exceed 50 percent of the project cost, Williams said. State Home Oil Weatherization Program The State Home Oil Weath- erization Program, or SHOW, is another resource available for homes and rental properties that are primarily heated by oil, propane, kerosene, butane or wood. The program offers cash rebates up to $500 for installing energy-saving heating equipment or weatheriza- tion improvements. SHOW is not set to expire, but will transfer from the Department of Energy to the Department of Housing and Community Services beginning Jan. 1, 2018, dovetailing with the agency’s work with housing assistance and low-in- come communities. For questions about either program or to see a full list of eligible projects, visit www. oregon.gov/energy or contact the Department of Energy at 1-800- 221-8035.
