2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Apple Valley, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Apple Valley.
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 Apple Valley?
Property Tax Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems and Solar Plus Storage System
Western Riverside Council of Governments - Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) Financing Program
Minimum financing: $5,000
The financing may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the market value of the property, up to the first seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) of the property’s market value, and ten percent (10%) of the remaining value of the Property above seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) minus any PACE assessment on the propertyThe total amount of any annual property taxes and assessments shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the property's fair market value, determined at the time program financing is approved.
Local Option - Municipal Energy Districts
Self-Generation Incentive Program
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.
Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT)
LADWP - Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Program
Base price will step down over time as certain MW goals are met
California Solar Initiative - Solar Thermal Program
Single Family Residential Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $29.85 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: Funding has been exhausted
Commercial/Multifamily Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $20.19 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: $0.42 per estimated kWh displaced *** Note, funding has been exhausted in this category for SCE and PG&E
Solar Pool heating: $5.00 per estimated therm displaced
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The phrase "solar incentives" broadly refers to financial incentives that are in place to encourage people to use renewable energy by making installing and using solar panels more affordable. Incentives could include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are handled federally, while others are offered by the state of California or your specific utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives are typically handled by your state government. Once your solar panel system meets the threshold (typically a small amount of energy production), you are eligible to receive SRECs that can be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you receive is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Apple Valley utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then subtract this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are normally given before any solar tax credits are calculated. Solar rebates can be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar system might qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the added value of the solar panels when calculating property taxes on your house.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. One of the incentives that most people are probably familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a specific percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system must have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006, for you to claim the credit. Initially, the ITC applied to 30% of all costs (panels, accessories, equipment and labor), although this amount has fluctuated slightly over time between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To best understand how the ITC will apply to you, contact your local Apple Valley solar panel installation expert and request more information.
In August 2022, the ITC (now titled the Clean Energy Credit) was expanded and extended by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. The new Clean Energy Credit now runs until 2035. You can now apply for a 30% credit for solar systems that began installation after January 1, 2022, and are completed by the end of 2032. This new credit will then decrease annually until its expiration. 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. Your local Apple Valley solar panel company can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
In addition to those provided at the federal level, there are often also state solar incentives. Tax credits, rebates and more may be available at a more local level. Some incentives are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time. These incentives might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the California government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Apple Valley
There are many kinds of solar incentives: those given by local utility companies, those provided by the California government and those offered by the federal government, to name a few. Solar energy utilization has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. Call your local solar panel installer today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on a solar system for your Apple Valley home.
EcoWatch's Apple Valley, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I find out if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on property that you own
- within the U.S.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including ones handled by the California government or by your county/municipality, may have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Apple Valley solar installer to discover what incentives your project will qualify for.
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If your system was installed between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the year it was installed. Talking to the company that installed your system, or any local Apple Valley solar installer, can help you learn what incentives you can apply for.
How much will a solar system save me on my electric bill in Apple Valley annually?
Typically, homeowners in Apple Valley who install solar panels save around $1,476.14 per year, or about $28,046.65 over 20 years after making the switch.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by switching where you get your energy, you help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also lower your home's CO2 emissions by 250 pounds annually, or roughly 5,000 pounds in 20 years.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but generally yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all 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.