2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Brooktrails, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Brooktrails.
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 September 15, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Brooktrails?
Property Tax Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems and Solar Plus Storage System
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/
Solar incentives mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. This category of financial incentives is in place to encourage more Americans to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. Various kinds of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Certain incentives may be handled by the state of California, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that is generally considered part of your taxable income. Typically, a certain (small) threshold of energy production must be met before your solar system is eligible for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. Incentives like these are normally handled by your state government.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after you purchase solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system might qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when calculating property taxes on your house.
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your Brooktrails utility company. This agreement may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. They will then subtract this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that you think of when thinking about solar incentives. An incentive many people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This incentive is a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must have been installed after January 1, 2006 on a property you own for you to claim the credit. Originally, the ITC covered 30% of all installation costs (panels, labor, equipment and accessories), although the 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 amount you can claim.
To best understand how the ITC could apply to your situation, reach out to your local Brooktrails solar panel installer and ask for more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act made revisions to the ITC, now titled the Clean Energy Credit. With the new provisions, solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed by the end of 2032 can qualify for a 30% tax credit. This credit amount will then see a slight annual decrease until the current Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to get credits for energy storage systems under this new program.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to get in touch with your local Brooktrails solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be claimed at multiple levels. On top of federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. These incentives might be given out by your county or municipality, or by the California government. Certain incentives are available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Brooktrails
You can receive solar incentives from the California government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. The growing availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. Reach out to your local solar panel installation company today to find out more information and to save the most money possible on solar panels for your Brooktrails home.
EcoWatch's Brooktrails, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
In most cases, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those run by the California government or by your county/municipality, might have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local Brooktrails solar installer to discover what incentives your project will qualify for.
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I install solar panels on my Brooktrails home?
Generally, homeowners in Brooktrails who install solar panels save around $1,692.11 per year, or around $32,150.06 over 20 years after making the switch.
If I change out my appliances for ones that use solar energy, are there any incentives I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates several new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can receive both tax credits and rebates towards the cost of solar panels. Depending on which incentives you are receiving, they may apply in a different order. Be sure to speak with your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify that you are claiming incentives correctly and that you're getting the most money you can.
Can I use a combination of solar and another type of renewable energy to power my home?
Yes, you can use multiple types of renewable energy to power your home — for example, a combination of geothermal and solar. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a non-renewable backup source of energy. Be sure to discuss the details of your plan with your local Brooktrails solar panel installer, so that you understand what you'll need and what incentives you may or may not qualify for.
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.