2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Malibu, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates

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

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 Malibu 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 Malibu?

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/


The phrase "solar incentives" includes a range of financial incentives designed to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Different types of incentives, like cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, might be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the California government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:

  • Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
  • Net Metering: Be sure to speak to your Malibu utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to receive credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You may receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
  • Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are normally applied before any solar tax credits are calculated. Solar rebates might be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
  • Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other similar performance-based incentives are typically handled at the state level. Once your solar system meets the qualification threshold (normally a small amount of energy production), you can receive SRECs that can be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you receive from the sale is generally considered part of your taxable income.
  • Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to exclude the added value of your solar system when paying property tax on your home.

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Federal Solar Incentives

Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. 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 percentage of the cost of your solar system.

The ITC can be credited towards the value of solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006, for you to claim the credit. The ITC originally paid out 30% of all costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although this amount has fluctuated over the last few years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.

To understand exactly how much money the ITC could save you, talk to your local Malibu solar panel installer.

The ITC was renewed and increased in scope after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. For solar system installations that begin after January 1, 2022, and are completed by the end of 2032, homeowners may be eligible for a credit for 30% of the total cost. The percentage will then decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Malibu 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 may be offered at the local or state level. Like with federal incentives, these can include rebates, tax credits and more. These incentives might be offered by the California government, or by your county or municipality. Certain incentives are available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Malibu

Nationwide solar energy use has significantly increased in the past 15 years, in part due to the increase in availability of solar incentives. You may get these incentives from the federal government, the California government or your local utility company. Talking to your local Malibu solar panel installation company is a great first step towards getting the most money possible when you switch to solar energy.

EcoWatch's Malibu, CA Solar Incentives FAQs

If my house already has solar panels, can I still claim incentives?

If your solar system was 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 exact installation date. Reaching out to the company that installed your solar system, or any local Malibu solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you qualify for.

How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I install solar panels on my Malibu home?

On average, homeowners in Malibu who install solar panels save approximately $1,415.84 per year, or about $26,900.93 over 20 years after making the switch.

Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?

The order your incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but typically yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Speak to your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible for and applying them in the correct order.

Can I use a combination of solar and another type 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. Make sure you talk through your ideas with your local Malibu solar installer. They can help you plan your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you might or might 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.

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