title: "Solar on Our New Construction Home in Oregon" summary: "Building a new home gave us the chance to design for solar from scratch — here's how we made it work in the Pacific Northwest." storyType: solar state: OR savingsMonthly: 95 systemSize: "8.4 kW" date: "2026-01-25" tags:
- solar
- oregon
- new-construction
- net-metering
- pacific-northwest
Building Solar-Ready
When we decided to build a new home in Bend, Oregon, we had a unique advantage: we could design the roof, electrical panel, and conduit pathways specifically for solar from the start.
Our builder (a local custom builder familiar with solar-ready construction) incorporated these features into the plans at minimal extra cost:
- Roof pitch: 30° south-facing (optimal for Bend's 44° latitude)
- Unobstructed south roof: No vents, pipes, or dormers on the primary south-facing roof plane — accommodating 21 panels with no shading
- 200A electrical panel with space reserved for solar disconnect and future battery
- Conduit chase from attic to garage (for future inverter/battery wiring)
- Structural reinforcement at panel mounting locations (minimal cost during framing)
Added cost for solar-ready features: approximately $800 during construction (vs. $3,000–$5,000 to retrofit later).
System Specifications
We installed solar during the construction process — panels went on after roofing, before landscaping:
| Component | Detail | |---|---| | Panels | 21 × REC Alpha Pure-R 400W | | Total capacity | 8.4 kW DC | | Inverter | SolarEdge SE7600H + optimizers | | Mounting | Roof-mount, flush (30° S-facing) | | Monitoring | SolarEdge monitoring app | | Annual production (est.) | ~10,200 kWh |
Oregon's Solar Resource
Central Oregon (Bend) gets significantly more sun than Portland — averaging 4.5 peak sun hours daily vs. Portland's 3.8. The high desert climate means many clear days, even if winter days are short.
The Economics
Costs
| Item | Amount | |------|-----:| | 8.4 kW system installed | $21,000 | | Federal 30% ITC | -$6,300 | | Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate | -$1,500 | | Energy Trust of Oregon incentive | -$1,200 | | Net cost | $12,000 |
Annual Production vs. Consumption
| Metric | Value | |---|---| | Annual solar production | 10,200 kWh | | Annual home consumption | 12,800 kWh | | Solar offset | 80% | | Net grid purchases | ~2,600 kWh |
Our all-electric home (heat pump HVAC, induction range, HPWH) uses about 12,800 kWh/year. The solar system covers 80% of that.
Monthly Savings
Pacific Power's residential rate in Bend: ~$0.12/kWh. Under Oregon's net metering policy:
| Month | Production (kWh) | Consumption (kWh) | Net | Grid Cost | |:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:| | Jan | 480 | 1,400 | -920 | $110 | | Feb | 620 | 1,200 | -580 | $70 | | Mar | 920 | 1,100 | -180 | $22 | | Apr | 1,100 | 950 | +150 | $0 (credit) | | May | 1,250 | 850 | +400 | $0 (credit) | | Jun | 1,300 | 800 | +500 | $0 (credit) | | Jul | 1,350 | 900 | +450 | $0 (credit) | | Aug | 1,200 | 950 | +250 | $0 (credit) | | Sep | 1,000 | 900 | +100 | $0 (credit) | | Oct | 640 | 1,000 | -360 | $43 | | Nov | 350 | 1,250 | -900 | $108 | | Dec | 310 | 1,500 | -1,190 | $143 |
Annual grid cost with solar: ~$496. Without solar: ~$1,536. Annual savings: ~$1,040 ($87/month).
In practice, the summer credits partially offset winter bills under Pacific Power's annual net metering true-up.
Payback
$12,000 net cost ÷ $1,040/year = 11.5-year payback.
Not the fastest payback (Oregon's moderate electricity rates are the reason), but:
- The system adds value to the home (Zillow estimates 4%+ premium for solar homes)
- Production is locked in for 25+ years
- Rate increases improve the payback every year (Pacific Power has requested multiple increases)
Building with Solar: What We'd Tell Other New-Home Builders
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Design the roof for solar first. A simple, large, south-facing roof plane costs the same as a complex roof with dormers — but makes solar installation dramatically cheaper and more productive.
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Go solar-ready even if you can't install immediately. The $500–$800 for conduit, panel space, and structural support during construction saves thousands later.
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All-electric new construction + solar is the winning combination. No gas line, no gas meter, no gas service charges. Solar covers everything.
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Install during construction. Installers can work more easily on a construction site (no landscaping to protect, scaffolding may already be up, electrician is already onsite). We saved approximately $1,500 compared to post-construction installation quotes.
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Wiring for future battery. We ran conduit for a future battery installation even though we didn't install one now. When battery prices drop further, adding one will be simple.
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Get your builder and solar installer talking early. Roof design, electrical panel placement, conduit routing, and structural details all benefit from early coordination.
Would We Add a Battery?
Not yet. Oregon's net metering policy is generous — we bank summer credits against winter usage. The economic case for a battery is weak at current prices and our rate structure.
However, if net metering policy changes, TOU rates are introduced, or battery prices drop significantly, we have the infrastructure ready to add one. When we do, our near-zero grid cost could become literally zero.