2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Laguna Hills, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Laguna Hills.
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 Laguna Hills solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Laguna Hills?
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 are designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. You might be eligible for several types of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the California government and others from the federal government. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives are usually handled at the state level. Once your solar panel system meets the threshold (generally a small amount of energy production), you can receive SRECs that you can then sell to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering contract with your Laguna Hills utility company that will apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then subtract this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be provided by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates are essentially cash back that is applied after your purchase of a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, applied when you purchase 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.
Federal Solar Incentives
When you think about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably 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 can be applied to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. Originally, the tax credit was for 30% of the total cost – for panels, equipment, accessories and labor – although it may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar project was undertaken. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
To better understand how the ITC will apply to your situation, call your local Laguna Hills solar panel installer and request more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act laid out new provisions for the ITC, now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit. The new Clean Energy Credit now runs until 2035. American homeowners can now apply for a 30% credit for solar systems that began installation after January 1, 2022, and are completed by the end of 2032. The credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until the date of expiration. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to qualify for credits for energy storage systems with the new act.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Laguna Hills 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
Tax credits, rebates and more can be claimed at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Incentives might be given by the state of California, or by your county or municipality. Certain incentives might only be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Laguna Hills
Nationwide solar energy use has gone up tremendously in the last 15 years, in part due to the proliferation of solar incentives. You might receive these incentives from your local utility company, the California government or the federal government. Your local Laguna Hills solar panel installer can provide you with more details about which incentives you can apply for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Laguna Hills, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
I already have solar panels. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
You should plan to talk to the company that installed your solar panels – or reach out to a local Laguna Hills solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might 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 will solar panels save me on my electric bill in Laguna Hills annually?
After adding solar panels to your home in Laguna Hills, you can anticipate savings of approximately $1,449.58 per year, or about $27,541.95 over 20 years.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The Clean Energy Credit (formerly named the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), is scheduled to end 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 initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied may vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but usually yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Speak to your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify you are claiming all the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use a combination of 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 wind and solar. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a backup source of non-renewable energy. Make sure that you discuss your proposed plan with your local Laguna Hills solar installation expert, so that you understand what you'll need and what kinds of incentives you will or won't 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.