2024 Solar Incentives Guide for East San Gabriel, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates

In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in East San Gabriel.

You'll learn about:

  • Local & State Solar Incentives
  • Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 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 East San Gabriel solar installers to see how much you can save.

By EcoWatch Local Advisors

Data Analysis: James Savino

Ranking Methodology: Karsten Neumeister

Updated February 03, 2024

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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in East San Gabriel?

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.

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

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

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.

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

Local Option - Municipal Energy Districts

Incentive Type:
PACE Financing
Locally determined

Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT)

Incentive Type:
Feed-in Tariff

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 are designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. Incentives can include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are offered federally, while others are provided by the California government or by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:

  • Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for cash that typically becomes part of your taxable income. Typically, you must meet a certain (small) threshold of energy production before your solar system qualifies for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are normally handled by your state government.
  • Rebates: Your solar installer might help you claim a rebate, or partial refund after purchase, for your solar panels. States or counties will also offer limited-time rebates at various times. The value of a rebate will usually be deducted from the total price before tax credits are calculated.
  • Net Metering: Make sure you talk with your East San Gabriel utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This will allow you to receive credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
  • Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to exclude the value added by your solar panels when paying taxes on your house. They may also include exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
  • Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)

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Federal Solar Incentives

Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a specified percentage of your solar system's cost.

The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, accessories, labor and equipment. This credit can apply towards a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original claim amount was 30% of the total cost, although the amount you can claim may range between 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.

To more fully understand how the ITC could apply to your situation, reach out to your local East San Gabriel solar panel installation expert and request 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). The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar installations undertaken between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. After this, the percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the end of the program in 2035. The expansion also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, beginning in 2023.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local East San Gabriel solar panel installation expert is the best person to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it applies to you.

State & Local Solar Incentives

Some solar incentives may be provided by state and local governments. Similar to federal incentives, these might include tax credits, rebates and more. Incentives might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of California. Certain incentives might only be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in East San Gabriel

There are a number of different solar incentives: those provided by the federal government, those offered by the California government and those offered by local utility companies, to name a few. The use of solar energy has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Your local East San Gabriel solar panel installer can provide you with more details about which incentives you should apply for, and get you started on the path to switching to renewable energy today.

EcoWatch's East San Gabriel, CA Solar Incentives FAQs

How can I find out if I qualify for solar incentives?

It's a smart idea to get in touch with your local East San Gabriel solar installer for a better understanding of which incentives your project may qualify for. In most cases, solar incentives apply to new solar panel systems installed on a property you own (in the U.S.) between the dates specified by the incentive. Some incentives, such as those given by the state of California, might have additional requirements.

What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?

You can lower your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 annually when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to roughly 5,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.

Can I claim 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 usually yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Speak to your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible for and applying them in the correct order.

Can I use multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?

Yes, you can employ multiple types of renewable energy to power your home, such as a combination of solar and wind power. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a backup source of non-renewable energy. Be sure to discuss the details of your plan with your local East San Gabriel solar installation expert, to get an understanding of what will be needed and what incentives you may or may not qualify for.

Can I get any financial incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?

Many solar incentives apply to a property you own that is located within the United States; most secondary residences will fall under this distinction. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend reaching out to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives apply to your specific situation.

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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