2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Piedmont, AL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Piedmont.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2023 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
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Updated March 14, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Piedmont?
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/
The phrase "solar incentives" includes a range of financial incentives designed to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Various types of incentives, including cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, might be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the state of Alabama, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar system. Rebates may be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in once your solar panels are up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Piedmont utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some locations, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other places you might get refunded a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels may qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the value added by your solar panels when calculating property taxes on your home.
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, federal incentives may be the first thing that comes to mind. An incentive that most people are likely familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a certain percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. Initially, the credit applied to 30% of the total cost — for panels, accessories, equipment and labor — although that amount may range from 26-30%, depending on the installation date of your solar system. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Your local Piedmont solar panel installation expert can give you more information about the ITC and how it might apply to your situation.
The ITC has been renewed and expanded following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now qualify for a credit equal to 30% of the total solar system installation costs for projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed before the end of 2032. The percentage will then begin to decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To best understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you, speak with your local Piedmont solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more can be claimed at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. Some incentives are ongoing, while others may 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 Piedmont
There are a variety of solar incentives: those provided by the federal government, those provided by the Alabama government and those provided by local utility companies, to name a few. The use of solar energy has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. Reach out to your local solar panel installation expert today to learn more and to save the most money possible on a solar system for your Piedmont home.
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EcoWatch's Piedmont, AL Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to a representative from the company that installed your system — or get in touch with a local Piedmont 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 panels installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I add solar panels to my house in Piedmont?
After adding solar panels to your home in Piedmont, you can expect to save approximately $1,115.94 per year, or approximately $21,202.94 over the next 20 years.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The Clean Energy Credit (previously referred to as the federal solar tax credit, or ITC), is slated to end on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
If I change out my appliances for ones that can use solar energy, are there any credits I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates a number of new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details about these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you receive but in most cases yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify you are claiming all of the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
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.