Energy Trust of Oregon Trade Ally — No-Cost Business Lighting Upgrades in Portland & Beaverton
Nexus Electrical Group is an Energy Trust of Oregon trade ally performing Direct Install lighting work for small and medium businesses. If your business qualifies for Energy Trust’s Small Business Direct Install offer, the lighting assessment, the new LED fixtures and controls, the installation labor, and recycling of your old fixtures are covered — with no out-of-pocket cost to you.
That sentence tends to get read twice, so here it is plainly: qualifying Oregon businesses are not paying a reduced price for a lighting upgrade. They are paying nothing. Energy Trust funds the work through the public purpose charge already on your utility bill — money you have been contributing to whether or not you ever claimed it.
The offer, in one box
No out-of-pocket cost LED lighting upgrade for qualifying Oregon businesses.Covered for businesses that meet Energy Trust’s Small Business Direct Install criteria:
- Free lighting assessment and walkthrough of your space
- Energy-efficient LED fixtures and lamps
- Lighting controls and occupancy sensors where they make sense
- All installation labor
- Removal and recycling of your old fixtures
Funding is limited and offered first-come, first-served. Eligibility is determined by Energy Trust, not by Nexus.
Does My Business Qualify for No-Cost Lighting?
Your business likely qualifies for Energy Trust’s Small Business Direct Install lighting offer if it is located in Oregon, receives electric service from Portland General Electric or Pacific Power, operates in a commercial, industrial, agricultural, or multifamily common-area space, and falls under the size thresholds below.
Size thresholds — meet either the employee count or the square footage
| Facility type | Employees | or | Square footage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial | 20 or fewer | or | Under 20,000 sq ft |
| Industrial or agricultural | 50 or fewer | or | Under 50,000 sq ft |
You only need to satisfy one of the two columns, not both.
You also need to be
- A Portland General Electric or Pacific Power electric customer in Oregon
- Operating at no more than two locations
- Independent — not part of a nationwide chain
What disqualifies a business
- Home-based businesses
- Nationwide chains
- Businesses served by a utility other than PGE or Pacific Power
- Self-installation, or using a contractor outside the program — the work must be performed by an approved Direct Install contractor for the offer to apply
Community service providers and governmental entities may also qualify with Energy Trust approval, and Energy Trust may apply annual energy-use limits in addition to the size thresholds. If you are close to a cutoff, it is worth asking rather than assuming you are out.
What Does “No Out-of-Pocket Cost” Actually Mean?
It means exactly what it says for qualifying businesses: no invoice, no deposit, no co-pay, and no financing. Energy Trust covers the assessment, the equipment, the labor, and the disposal of the old fixtures.
The honest caveats, because a page that hides them wastes everyone’s time. Funding is limited and the offer runs first-come, first-served. Energy Trust — not Nexus — makes the final eligibility determination. After your walkthrough survey you generally have about two weeks to decide whether to proceed. And the scope is what the assessment identifies as cost-effective lighting work, not a blank check for unrelated electrical work you might also want done.
If you want other electrical work handled at the same time — an electrical panel upgrade, added circuits, or an EV charger — that is a separate, quoted job. Many businesses find it efficient to bundle the visit. We will always be clear about which part is covered and which part is not.
How the Process Works
- Quick eligibility conversation. Call us or send your details and we will tell you honestly whether you look eligible before anyone fills out paperwork.
- Interest form to Energy Trust. The program starts with an Energy Trust interest form. We can walk you through it.
- Free lighting assessment. A walkthrough of your space identifies which fixtures and controls to upgrade and what the savings look like.
- You decide. You review the proposed scope. There is a decision window, typically around two weeks.
- Installation. Materials are ordered and installed, generally scheduled around your operating hours so you are not closing for it.
- Old fixtures recycled. Removal and recycling are part of the job, not an add-on.
- Lower bills. Savings begin as soon as the new lighting is running.
What If My Business Doesn’t Qualify for Direct Install?
Then there are still two funded paths, and this is where a lot of Oregon businesses leave money on the table simply because nobody told them.
Path 2 — Instant discounts at the point of sale
Energy Trust applies discounts to qualifying commercial lighting equipment through participating distributors. The discount appears as a line item on the receipt rather than arriving as a rebate months later. Representative amounts, as published by Energy Trust as of August 2026:
| Equipment | Discount |
|---|---|
| Exterior LED fixtures | $15 – $180 per fixture |
| Interior high-bay / low-bay fixtures | $20 – $125 per fixture |
| HID to LED screw-in lamps | $25 – $60 per lamp |
| Occupancy sensors | $10 – $20 each |
| Networked lighting controls | $45 – $230 per fixture |
Eligibility requires an Oregon commercial, industrial, or multifamily common-area facility served by PGE or Pacific Power, with installation completed within 90 days of purchase. Pre-authorization is required on larger projects. Amounts and rules change — confirm current figures with Energy Trust or ask us.
Path 3 — Trade ally installation with standard incentives
For larger facilities and more involved retrofits, Nexus can plan and install the upgrade as an Energy Trust trade ally with incentives applied to the project. This is the route for businesses above the Direct Install thresholds that still want the work engineered and the paperwork handled.
The practical takeaway: there is a funded path for nearly every Oregon commercial building on PGE or Pacific Power. The question is which one, and that is a ten-minute conversation.
What Is an Energy Trust Trade Ally?
An Energy Trust trade ally is an independent contractor approved by Energy Trust of Oregon to deliver energy-efficiency work under its programs. The network includes more than 1,900 contractors and allied professionals across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Trade allies are required to hold current licensing, carry required insurance and certifications, comply with Energy Trust technical standards, represent incentives accurately, and enroll a minimum number of projects each year. For a business owner the designation is a practical filter: it means a third party with no stake in the sale has vetted the contractor’s license, insurance, and technical work.
Nexus Electrical Group at a Glance
- Energy Trust role
- Trade ally performing Direct Install lighting work for small and medium businesses
- Service area
- Beaverton, Portland, Hillsboro, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Gresham and the surrounding metro
- Utilities served
- Portland General Electric and Pacific Power territories in Oregon
- Building types
- Commercial, industrial, agricultural, multifamily common areas
- Certifications
- COBID DBE / MBE / ESB #12161 · Oregon CCB #226988
- Also performs
- Panel upgrades, EV charging, backup generators, NFPA 70B maintenance
Why Work With Nexus on an Energy Trust Project
Lighting incentive work rewards contractors who know the paperwork as well as the conduit. Applications get delayed or denied over documentation, not over craftsmanship, and a business owner should not have to learn a utility program to get their lights replaced.
Nexus is a COBID-certified DBE, MBE and ESB, holds Oregon CCB #226988, and works across public, commercial, and industrial projects — including electrical construction on the City of Portland’s $515 million Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion. The same crews that hold schedule inside an operating municipal treatment plant handle a retail or warehouse lighting retrofit without drama.
- Energy Trust of Oregon trade ally
- COBID DBE / MBE / ESB #12161
- Oregon CCB #226988
- Port of Portland Mentor-Protégé Program
- Licensed & insured
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Energy Trust lighting upgrade really free?
For businesses that qualify for Energy Trust of Oregon’s Small Business Direct Install offer, yes — the assessment, LED fixtures and controls, installation labor, and recycling of old fixtures are covered with no out-of-pocket cost. Funding is limited and offered first-come, first-served, and Energy Trust makes the final eligibility determination.
Who pays for it?
Energy Trust of Oregon funds the work through the public purpose charge collected on Oregon utility bills. Businesses on Portland General Electric or Pacific Power have already been paying into that fund, so a qualifying business claiming a lighting upgrade is recovering value it has been contributing to.
What size business qualifies for Energy Trust Direct Install lighting?
Commercial facilities with 20 or fewer employees or under 20,000 square feet, and industrial or agricultural facilities with 50 or fewer employees or under 50,000 square feet. You need to meet only one of the two measures. The business must operate at no more than two locations and cannot be part of a nationwide chain.
Do I have to use a specific contractor?
Yes. Direct Install work must be performed by a contractor approved for the program. Self-installation or hiring a contractor outside the program means the no-cost offer does not apply. Nexus Electrical Group is an Energy Trust trade ally that performs this work.
How long does the process take?
It begins with an interest form and a free lighting assessment. After the walkthrough survey there is a decision window of roughly two weeks, then materials are ordered and installed. Installation is typically scheduled around your operating hours.
What if my business is too large for the Direct Install offer?
Two other funded routes exist. Energy Trust applies instant discounts to qualifying lighting equipment at participating distributors, and Nexus can plan and install larger retrofits as a trade ally with standard incentives applied to the project.
Can Nexus do other electrical work at the same time?
Yes, as a separate quoted job. Panel upgrades, added circuits, EV charging, and generator work are commonly bundled into the same site visit for efficiency. The covered lighting scope and any additional paid work are always kept clearly separate.
Find out in ten minutes whether your lighting is covered
Tell us your utility, roughly how big your space is, and how many people work there. We will tell you straight whether you look eligible — and if you are not, which of the other funded paths fits.
Call (971) 410-7073 Check My Eligibility
Serving Beaverton, Portland and the surrounding metro. See our other public and commercial projects.