2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Laguna Beach, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Laguna 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 Laguna 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. These financial incentives are designed to encourage more homeowners to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. These incentives might include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are handled by the federal government, some by the state of California and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions go into effect at the point of sale for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions allow you to exclude the added value of your solar system when you're calculating the amount of property tax you need to pay on your house.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar panels. These might be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before calculating tax credits.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Laguna Beach utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. Your utility company will then deduct this value from your utility bill each month.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that typically becomes part of your taxable income. In most cases, 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 generally handled by your state government.
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
Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about solar incentives. The solar incentive that you may be most familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which provides a credit on your taxes equal to a certain percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to the total cost of solar system installation, including the panels themselves as well as labor, equipment and accessories. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence located in the United States that you own. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum claim amount.
Your local Laguna Beach solar panel installer can offer more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act expanded and extended the ITC, now called the Clean Energy Credit. With the new provisions, solar installation projects begun after January 1, 2022, and finished by December 31, 2032, may be eligible for a 30% tax credit. This percentage 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 claim credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Laguna Beach solar panel installation experts can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also offered at the local or state level. Similar to federal incentives, these could include rebates, tax credits and more. Incentives might be handled 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 Laguna Beach
There are a number of different solar incentives: those provided by the federal government, those provided by the California government and those offered by local utility companies, to name a few. The use of solar energy has increased enormously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Speak with your local solar panel installation expert today to discover more about the various programs and to save the most money possible on a solar system for your Laguna Beach home.
EcoWatch's Laguna Beach, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
If I already have solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to someone from the company that installed your solar system – or call a local Laguna Beach 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. Solar 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 Laguna Beach home?
Generally, homeowners in Laguna Beach who install solar panels save about $1,449.58 per year, or about $27,541.95 over 20 years after making the switch.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The Clean Energy Credit (previously called the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), currently ends on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied may vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but generally yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to be sure you are claiming all the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property located within the United States that you own, and most secondary residences will fall under this distinction. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what incentives will 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.