2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Jacksonville, AL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Jacksonville.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Jacksonville?
Local Option- Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Faclities
Alabama Power - Residential Heat Pump Loan Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. You may qualify for several kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Alabama and others from the federal government. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant once your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement in place with your Jacksonville utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some locations, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other places you might make back a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be provided by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates work as cash back that is applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits lower, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits differ from tax deductions.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, which is applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about solar incentives. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is probably the most commonly known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides you with a tax credit for a set percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to the value of solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system has to have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property owned by you for you to be eligible for the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all installation costs (panels, equipment, labor and accessories), although the amount has fluctuated slightly over the last few years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Your local Jacksonville solar panel installer can provide more information about the ITC and how it might apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar installations undertaken between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. After this, the credit percentage will be reduced slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, starting in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you, talk to your local Jacksonville solar installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
In addition to those provided at the federal level, there are often also state solar incentives. Rebates, tax credits and more may be available at a more local level. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others might only be available for a limited time. These incentives might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the Alabama government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Jacksonville
The large number of solar incentives available has enormously increased the adoption of solar energy nationwide over the last 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from your local utility company, the Alabama government or the federal government. Reaching out to your local Jacksonville solar panel installer is the best first step towards getting the most money possible when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's Jacksonville, AL Solar Incentives FAQs
If I already have solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
Your best bet is to talk to someone from the company that installed your system – or reach out to a local Jacksonville solar installer — to better understand which incentives you may qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my home?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 450 pounds of CO2 annually when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to approximately 9,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The Clean Energy Credit (previously referred to as the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), is scheduled to end on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any incentives I can get?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a number of new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Our goal is to reach as many people as we can with sensible solutions like solar energy. Our team of full-time local researchers collects solar price and installation data for every city in America then compiles it to create these digestible city guides. If you want to read our solar expert's opinion on the top solar companies featured here, follow this link.
Solar incentive research was conducted by Melissa Smith and Karsten Neumeister. Local data analysis was conducted by James Savino. See something we missed or could do better? Email the editor.