2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Garden Grove, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Garden Grove.
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 Garden Grove?
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 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
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 help mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. Financial incentives like these are in place to encourage more people to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. Various kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the state of California, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Garden Grove utility company. This agreement 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.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the government. These differ from tax deductions.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are typically given prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. Solar rebates might be given by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in one of two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for cash that typically becomes 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 other performance-based incentives. These kinds of incentives are generally handled at the state level.
Federal Solar Incentives
When people think of solar incentives, federal incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind. You've likely heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a predetermined percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC applies towards solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and allows you to deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, accessories and equipment. You can receive this credit for solar panels installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original amount you could claim was 30% of the total cost, although depending on when the project was completed, your credit may range from 26-30%. There is no maximum claim amount.
To know exactly how much the ITC could save you, talk to your local Garden Grove solar panel installation expert.
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 runs until 2035. Any solar installation project that is completed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit. The amount will be decreased slightly each year until the current program ends. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to get credits for energy storage systems under this new program.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Garden Grove solar panel installer can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Rebates, tax credits and more might be claimed at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. These solar incentives — which might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of California — might be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Garden Grove
There are a variety of solar incentives: those given by local utility companies, those given by the federal government and those given by the California government, to name a few. Solar energy use has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Your local Garden Grove solar panel installation company can give you more information about which incentives you should apply for, and get you on track to switch to renewable energy today.
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
- Price-match guarantee
- Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
- Best solar battery on the market
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Customer service varies by local dealer
EcoWatch's Garden Grove, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels installed. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
You should plan to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar system — or get in touch with a local Garden Grove solar installer — to learn about which incentives you may qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I add solar panels to my house in Garden Grove?
Typically, homeowners in Garden Grove who install solar panels save approximately $1,369.66 per year, or approximately $26,023.61 over 20 years after making the switch.
What are the top solar panel installation companies near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to Garden Grove's best solar panel companies.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 annually by installing solar panels. This adds up to roughly 5,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that making the switch reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
If I change out my appliances for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there any benefits I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act introduces multiple incentives meant to reward homeowners who make eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
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.