2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Country Club, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates

In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Country Club.

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.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted Country Club solar installers to see how much you can save.

By EcoWatch Local Advisors

Data Analysis: James Savino

Ranking Methodology: Karsten Neumeister

Updated September 15, 2023

Why you can trust EcoWatch

We work with a panel of solar experts to create unbiased reviews that empower you to make the right choice for your home. No other site has covered renewables as long as us, which means we have more data and insider information than other sites. Our rankings are never affected by revenue or partnerships.

What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Country Club?

Property Tax Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems and Solar Plus Storage System

Incentive Type:
Property Tax Incentive
100% of system value; 75% of system value exemption for dual-use equipment

Western Riverside Council of Governments - Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) Financing Program

Incentive Type:
PACE Financing
Eligible products can be financed for up to 25 years, depending on the useful life of the eligible product.
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 property The 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

Incentive Type:
PACE Financing
Locally determined

Self-Generation Incentive Program

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
For projects 30 kW or larger, 50% of incentive will be received up-front; 50% will be received based on actual kWh production over the first 5 years. For projects under 30kW, 100% of the incentive will be paid up front.
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.

Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT)

Incentive Type:
Feed-in Tariff

LADWP - Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Program

Incentive Type:
Feed-in Tariff
$0.17/kWh adjusted by a time of delivery multiplier
Base price will step down over time as certain MW goals are met

California Solar Initiative - Solar Thermal Program

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
Step 1 Incentive Rates (contact utility to determine current incentive levels):
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

Incentive Type:
Personal Tax Credit
30% federal tax credit for systems placed in service after 12/31/2021 and before 01/01/2033. Good for: solar water heat, solar photovoltaics, biomass, geothermal heat pumps, wind (small), fuel cells using renewable fuels.

Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/


Solar incentives mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. This category of financial incentives is in place to encourage more homeowners to switch to renewable energy. Various kinds of incentives, like cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, may be available to you. Some incentives may be provided via the California government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Types of solar incentives might include:

  • Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Country Club utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then deduct this value from your utility bill each month.
  • Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are usually given before any solar tax credits are calculated. Rebates may be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
  • Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In most cases, solar systems that produce over a specific (normally small) amount of electricity will qualify for SRECs or other similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and performance-based incentives in general are typically offered by your state government. When you receive an SREC, you can sell it to your utility company or another buyer, and this is usually considered part of your taxable income.
  • Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
  • Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in one of 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. This allows you to exclude the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.

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Federal Solar Incentives

When thinking about solar incentives, federal incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind. A federal incentive that most people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a given percentage of your solar system's cost.

The ITC applies to the value of a solar system 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. Initially, the ITC applied to 30% of all installation costs (panels, equipment, labor and accessories), although this 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.

Curious how the ITC might apply to your specific situation? Reach out to your local Country Club solar panel installation expert to get more information.

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). For solar system installations that begin after January 1, 2022 and are completed by the end of 2032, homeowners may be eligible for a credit for 30% of the total cost. The percentage will then decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, beginning in 2023.

Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The best way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you is to speak with your local Country Club solar panel company directly.

State & Local Solar Incentives

There are often state solar incentives available in addition to federal ones. Rebates, tax credits and more can be offered at a more local level. Incentives might be offered by the state of California, or by your county or municipality. Certain incentives may be available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Country Club

There are many kinds of solar incentives: those provided by local utility companies, those provided by the federal government and those provided by the California government, to name a few. Solar energy utilization has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. Call your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save the most money possible on solar panels for your Country Club home.

EcoWatch's Country Club, CA Solar Incentives FAQs

How do I learn if I qualify for solar incentives?

Generally, solar incentives apply to:

  1. a new solar panel system
  2. installed on property you own
  3. within the U.S.
  4. within the date range specified by a particular incentive.

Specific incentives, including those given out by the California government or by your county/municipality, could have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local Country Club solar installer to find out what incentives your project will qualify for.

Who installs solar panels near me?

To learn about the top solar panel installation companies near you, take a look at our article on Country Club's top solar panel companies.

What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?

Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by changing where you get your energy, you help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. You can also reduce the CO2 emissions from your home by 250 pounds yearly, or around 5,000 pounds in 20 years.

If I change out my appliances for ones that use solar energy, are there credits I can claim?

The new Inflation Reduction Act creates several new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding 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?

The order that incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you receive but usually yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all the incentives you are eligible 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.

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