Energy Trust Home > Renewable Energy Programs > Wind > Small Wind
Small Wind
Small wind turbines are a good renewable energy option for rural homeowners, farmers, ranchers, municipalities and other property owners who are located in windy areas and want to generate power from the wind. With Energy Trust incentives, plus state and federal tax credits, it is possible to offset as much as 50 percent of the cost of a turbine while generating clean, renewable power. Energy Trust's Small Wind program provides resources and cash incentives to install turbines of up to 50 kilowatts. For incentives related to larger installations, visit Energy Trust’s Community Wind program.
Incentives and eligibility requirements
To be eligible for Energy Trust incentives:
- You must be an Oregon customer of Portland General Electric or Pacific Power.
- Systems must generate electricity and be connected to the local electric utility grid.
Energy Trust offers the following incentives:
- Homeowners: Up to $35,000 (Lesser of: $4,500 per meter of rotor diameter, or $4,500 per rated kilowatt of the wind turbine)
- Businesses: Up to $60,000 (Lesser of: $3,750 per meter of rotor diameter, or $4,000 per rated kilowatt of the wind turbine)
To be feasible, a small wind turbine installation site must:
- Be at least one acre in size
- Be located within 1,500 feet of a utility’s electrical meter
- Experience average wind speeds of at least 10 mph. For reference, at many sites with adequate wind resources trees and vegetation will show signs of flagging (see image) or other deformities. Visit the How to Participate section to determine the wind speed at your site.
What is the next step?
If you want to explore whether a small wind turbine makes sense for your property, see our How to Participate information. It outlines how to assess wind quality at your site, incentive eligibility requirements and how an Energy Trust Small Wind Trade Ally can help you put the wind to work.
