2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Huntington Beach, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Huntington Beach.
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.
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Huntington Beach?
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/
Solar incentives mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. This category of financial incentives is intended to encourage more people to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. Incentives can include things like discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits. Some incentives are handled federally, while others are handled by the state of California or your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- 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 state or by your county.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives are usually handled by your state government. Once your solar system meets the threshold (normally a small amount of energy production), you are eligible to receive SRECs that can then be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make from the sale is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get once your solar panels are up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Huntington Beach utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some areas, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other places you may get refunded a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may 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, which allows you to ignore the value added by your solar system when paying property tax on your house.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you probably think of federal incentives first. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit equal to a predetermined percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC applies to the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels have to have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property owned by you for you to claim the credit. Originally, the ITC covered 30% of all system costs (panels, equipment, labor and accessories), although the amount has fluctuated over time between 26-30%. The amount you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To better understand how the ITC will apply to you, contact your local Huntington Beach solar panel installer and request more information.
In August 2022, the ITC (now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. Homeowners can now receive a credit of 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects that began after January 1, 2022, and will be finished by the end of 2032. This percentage will then decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to obtain credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. To fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you, get in touch with your local Huntington Beach solar installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more can be claimed at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. Incentives may be given by your county or municipality, or by the state of California. Some incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Huntington Beach
Solar incentives may be offered by your local utility company, the California government or the federal government. The large number of incentives available has helped nationwide use of solar energy increase greatly in the last 15 years. We recommend talking to your local Huntington Beach solar installer for more information about these incentives and to be sure that you're getting the largest number possible for your solar system.
EcoWatch's Huntington Beach, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
If I already have a solar system installed on my house, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you installed your system between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Speaking with the company that installed your solar system, or any local Huntington Beach solar installer, can help you learn more about what incentives you can apply for.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my house?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 annually by installing solar panels. This adds up to around 5,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any benefits I can get?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are 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 receive 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 your solar panels. Depending on precisely which incentives you are claiming, they may apply in a different order. Make sure that you speak with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure that you are claiming the correct incentives and that you're getting the most money you can.
Can I use multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?
You can power your home with multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy. Be sure to talk through your plan with your local Huntington Beach solar installer. They can help you with the plan for your project and also help you understand the various incentives that 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.